Rituals + practices for returning to yourself 🎨😊

Hi Reader, 

In my last letter, I shared that I’m entering a busy season this fall, and perhaps you are, too, with beginnings of school years and fall activities. I also shared some of my favorite reflection prompts for staying connected to yourself and your creativity during busy seasons. (Here’s the link if you missed it!)

As I thought about entering this busier season, I first thought about where in my schedule I could make space for myself. I also began to brainstorm rituals could I do to help me stay connected to myself.

I always want to make sure that I have plenty of go-to rituals, self care practices, and plans for these busier times, so I don't have to think too hard about it. When you're overwhelmed, you often don't have the mental space to figure out self care, it’s just hanging on in survival mode.

Some of my go-to practices are walks, taking a quiet moment away from screens to breathe (perhaps with a cat), doing a quick meditation using Insight Timer, or pulling a tarot or oracle card and reflecting on it.

Here are some other ritual ideas that I want to experiment with (because we don’t have to do self care “right”, we always get to experiment!):

• Energy sorting - Imagining returning others’ energy to them, and returning mine back to me. You can do this with whatever visual you prefer, like a bubble around you, cutting ropes attached to you, etc.
• Washing off negative feelings (like worries about what others are thinking) as you take a shower or wash your hands
• Grounding - Imagining myself as a strong pillar or a tree with healthy roots in the earth
• Having a chat with my best, wisest self to find out what I need (could be an older version of you giving advice to Current You)

And a few other practices I’m trying:

• Checking filters - What information or activities need to be filtered out right now, in order to give you more energy and time for your priorities?

For my work, right now, that means prioritizing piano practice and coaching client prep, and I will accept that other projects are going to take longer to finish.

• Setting a few simple schedule parameters:
  • Consolidating client calls and activities that require me to be “on” so that there’s recovery time built into each week
  • Scheduling piano time on the calendar so it always has a place
  • Keeping Sunday open for me time and quality time with my partner Tom

• Releasing the need to do things perfectly and fears of not being good enough / letting people down (or at least recognizing when it’s happening - that’s a victory!)
• Allowing for transition time between activities, especially when coming out of people time and into alone time (#introvertproblems)

It’s always so tempting to cram another task into that 15-30 minutes between things, but usually better to take a break and mentally get ready for the next activity.

If you're heading into a busier season, being intentional is going to be most important. 

Being proactive, rather than reactive, as much as you're able to, will help you make space for time for yourself, creativity, and whatever is most important to you!

I go into more depth on all of this in the latest episode of Being A Whole Person - E65: How to Come Back to Yourself., and there's a transcript available if you don't have time to listen. 

You can also check out S3 E42: Compassionate Productivity Tips to Help You Cope With Being Busier and my PDF workbook Fuel Your Work With Compassionate Productivity for more help in keeping your schedule humane and sustainable!

What are your must-dos during a busy season that help you return to yourself? I'd love to know!

Stay well, my friends - I'm always rooting for you. My inbox is always open, so please feel free to reach out if I can help in any way. 

I always love hearing from you!

Have a lovely week! ⁠

Rebecca

• Hobbies are the Antidote to Hustle Culture That We Need by Tomi Akitunde - Letting a hobby be just a hobby (AKA truly for fun, without requirements of financial gain or achievement) can be tough for us multi-passionate and/or recovering perfectionist folks, but so important for wellbeing!
• Why you should stop complementing people for being "resilient" by Keisha "TK" Dukes - An important perspective on the often-detrimental glorification of strength and resilience.
• What does success look like? by Katie Hawkins-Gaar - This is a question I make sure to ask myself often, to make sure I'm not accidentally following other people's ideas instead of my own, and bigger ≠ better!

• E65: How to Come Back to Yourself
  

• E38: 10 Reasons Why You Might Not Prioritize Your Creative Practice

There are so many reasons why you might not prioritize creativity, even when it’s really important to you. (Zero judgment here!) I share 10 common obstacles to putting your creative practice first, along with tips and prompts to overcome each one, in a way that works within your full, busy life - let’s embrace the small steps forward!

Join us in Compassionate Creativity Coworking Club 

(Your first session is free to try!)

Book a free discovery call to learn more about coaching and get a mini-session

Coaching Offerings:

• Rise Above the Overwhelm: laser-focused 1-time sessions

• Creative Season (3 month package)