How Are You Today?

How are you? No, really, how are you today, right in this moment? We spend every moment of our lives inside these bodies, but in the hustle and bustle of daily life, it's easy to forget to check in with ourselves, to ask ourselves how are you, really? Caring for ourselves means learning to meet our bodies and minds where they're at, and it takes practice to make it a daily habit. So today, we are going to make a plan to check in with ourselves throughout the year. Grab your journal for today's exercise. Feel free to hit pause if you need to get your materials, and if journaling isn't available to you, reflect mentally today. Find yourself in a comfy position, whether that's sitting or standing. Gently close your eyes if you can. Take a deep breath in and out. As you breathe, notice if your attention drifts to a particular part of your body. It might be a place of tension or discomfort, or maybe it's a place that feels especially energized or powerful. Take this opportunity to move that body part in a way that feels good to you, a small stretch or a rotation, and then return to your breath, waiting for a new part of your body to draw your attention, asking you for movement. Continue scanning. I'll give you some time. Finally, imagine stretching towards the sky through your crown with each inhale and anchoring down into the Earth with each exhale. Spine elongating, releasing any tension you're carrying as it expands. Nice work. If we quiet our minds, our bodies will tell us what attention they need. If you're journaling today, take a moment to open your eyes and return to the space you are in. If you're planning to reflect mentally today, you can keep your eyes closed. Let's start by reflecting on the question: how am I doing right now in this moment? Our answers to this question are often complicated, and that's okay. Give yourself grace and compassion as you reflect, and if you aren't sure, return to your breath and let your body and mind tell you. I'll give you a minute to check in with your head and your heart. Great job. Now, let's get a little meta here. Reflect on how it felt to breathe and check in with yourself. Maybe it made you feel closer to yourself, helped you feel more grounded, or it might have felt difficult, and that's okay. I'll give you a minute to reflect on what it felt like to look within yourself. Wonderful. Now, let's think about how you can make looking inward a habit. It can help to tie moments of self-reflection to things you do every day. So think, are there specific daily activities that could remind you to check in, maybe brushing your teeth or walking your dog, or even putting on your socks in the morning? I'll give you a minute to think about how to...