Five Things to Inspire: Self Love

This is a special edition of Things to Inspire because I turn 35 this Sunday. To say I am excited for the next season of my life is an understatement. I am set to explode from my chrysalis.

Over the ten months, in a state of sobriety, I have been on a steady diet of motivational books, podcasts, and health research and this has helped me become unstuck in my self-perception.

In many ways, I have become a totally new person with less fear and more unbridled passion. Yet, in some ways, I feel the way I did at 18 – when the world was mine for the taking and I couldn’t wait to dive in. I thought this person was gone. But through the last few years of intense introspection and growth, I have stripped away so many layers – and there I am, underneath it all, still shiny and new. (Okay, well, maybe not exactly new).

I am feeling so much appreciation for this body that has carried me this far in life and am learning all over again how to treat it well.

I am feeling so ready to launch my business, push myself, grow, change, lead, and inspire.

If my life were a movie, this would be the scene when the main character realizes something tremendous while in the middle of a mundane chore, like trying to get a stain out of a shirt, drops everything and bolts out the door in the middle of a rainstorm to seize something she is on the verge of losing forever.

This shift has made turning thirty-five feel less like looking behind the curtain at the emerald city and more like being ushered from economy behind the curtain into first class, where they hand me a hot towel and fresh croissant.

So, this post is super charged with unapologetic optimism and self-love. It is dedicated to all of the incredible women – authors, friends, neighbours, artists, entrepreneurs, mothers, daughters, sisters, etc – in my life and online who inspire me daily. I love you!

Read

You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero

I first heard about this book on the Muse and the Catalyst podcast (which I featured in my March post and some of you really liked). The author, Jen Sincero, is honest, funny, and a little bit raunchy. There is a lot going on in this book, but she makes the ideas easily digestible.

Jen Sincero’s voice is like a slap in the face followed by a warm hug (or a little like a hot/cold shower – see below).

Essentially, this book is about how to identify and let go of limiting beliefs that are holding you back from creating a life you love. Sincero touches on tools and techniques like meditation, visualization, and gratitude practice as gateways to self-love and a success mindset.

I am intrigued by the idea of limiting beliefs – these are beliefs we have internalized, usually imprinted in childhood, which keep us stuck and hold us back from achieving what we really want. Such a liberating invitation!

In the chapter titled “Self-Perception is a Zoo,” Sincero finishes:

“We are all perfect in our own, magnificent, fucked-up ways. Laugh at yourself. Love yourself and others. Rejoice in the cosmic ridiculousness.”

I’m already excited to check out the sequel – You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth.

Listen

the Pursuit with Passion Podcast with Melyssa Griffin

I love that Melyssa Griffin is heart-centered, passionate, and ambitious. Her audience is entrepreneurs and dreamers and her goal is to teach them how to turn their passion into a profitable online presence.

What makes this podcast wonderful are the high calibre guests she features. Melyssa on her own provides a lot of value, but she shines the light on what her guests have to offer.

By the way, some of her guests include Gabby Bernstein, Gretchen Rubin, and Deepak Chopra.

Connect

Volume 18

This freshly launched all women communications firm out of Charlottetown, PEI is so inspiring and badass. I absolutely love their values-driven business model and the way they highlight and celebrate their individual strengths.

I love the way they tell their story. They are upfront and proud about their ethics and priorities, and you can tell they really mean it.

And do you know what I love most about what they are doing?

They make all of this seem possible for me, a wannabe badass female entrepreneur whose values are the heart and marrow of her being.

Shift

Boosting my morning routine

In May, I shifted my morning routine with a few new daily habits.

I shower every day at 6:30 in an attempt to wake myself up (my sleep is still consistently interrupted by my kids). This month I added two things to my shower routine that actually make me feel awake – dry body brushing before I shower, and a thirty second cold water blast at the end of my shower.

There are many health benefits to dry brushing (plus it feels amazing) – including lymphatic support, exfoliation, and a natural energy boost. Check out how to do dry brushing properly here. I use this natural sisal body brush and I love it.

When you do the cold water blast in the shower, make sure it is cold enough to make you cringe just a little, and then try to relax your body, open up your heart, breathe, and embrace it. You can follow the cold water with hot water.

Trust me, you will feel so much more awake and alive!

There are scientific health benefits to cold showers – they can lower stress levels, decrease anxiety and depression, boost your lymphatic system, metabolism, circulation, immune system. If you live close to the water and are feeling really brave, you can try cold water swimming for even more powerful benefits.

Before breakfast I have a glass of room temperature water with half a lemon squeezed into it. There are endless benefits to starting your day with warm lemon water. I really like this ritual. I have a lovely glass antique juicer (similar to this one) and keep a bowl of fresh lemons on the counter.

Then I make myself a bulletproof coffee (a what?). I like mine with a tsp of coconut oil (or MCT coconut oil extract), organic unsalted butter, collagen powder (I like this one) and a bit of goat milk and maple syrup or honey. This keto bulletproof coffee recipe is the closest to the one I make. It is decadent and the only way I can have coffee first thing with it causing anxiety symptoms.

Eat

 

Fresh greens grown by my lovely neighbours at Honey Tree Farm & Orchard. Photo from their Facebook page.

Dark leafy greens

Eat your greens. Seriously, do it! They are officially available and abundant at your friendly local farmer’s market.

I go on and on about the powerful benefits of greens in this post on growing food for an anti-inflammatory diet. And I link to some perfect and simple recipes here and here.

I am planning on going to the West Dublin Market this morning to buy all the greens so that I can float into thirty-five on a flying carpet of green superpowers.

Alright, thirty-five, I’m ready for you. 

 

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