Mindful Wind Downs

Sundays tend to be more relaxing than the other days of the week, as we give ourselves permission to rest and do what we'd like. You can feel the world around you slowing down. There's less traffic, and you see people eating out, enjoying themselves at a more casual pace. However, amidst this ease, pangs of anxiety or thoughts about what tasks await you in the week ahead can start to creep up throughout the day. And that's okay. When your body and mind are pinging you to remember what you have to do, it's helpful to reframe the experience. Take a moment to remember that having meaning in our lives involves keeping track of tasks. And when we imagine the alternative, having no meaningful projects or relationships in our lives, we can start to relate to the tasks ahead in a more helpful way. Moments like these invite us to pause, notice the ping of discomfort, and then reconnect with the present moment Physically slowing down and asserting your stillness can help your busy mind to settle, allowing you to tune in to the people and experiences that bring you joy on Sunday. Slowing down before, or even after, a busy week is a helpful way to regulate your emotions while showing yourself empathy and compassion, which is often forgotten but available when you need it. You can start by incorporating an evening wind-down routine. You may enjoy dimming the lights, lighting a candle, and slowing down your body with some slow stretches or restorative yoga poses. So let's try bringing some slow movement into this moment right now. Start by noticing the space around you and getting comfortable right where you are. And then just take a slow, deep breath, in and out through your nose, feeling your lungs expand and contract as you breathe. And on your next breath, see if you can bring your shoulders up toward your ears, holding them at the top of your inhale. And as you slowly exhale, just allowing your shoulders to melt down away from your ears. Now just circle your arms out to your sides and up overhead, noticing where you feel the stretch along the way. And pause at the top. And then slowly opening your arms back out to your sides, seeing how slow you can go. And then just resting your hands wherever they're comfortable. And if your eyes were closed during the stretch, you can just gently open them now. So before moving on to your next task, see if you can notice something around you that brings you joy or ease, and just take it in for a moment longer than usual. Well, I hope you soak in all of the joy and the slower pace that this weekend has to offer. May you ease into Monday feeling restored and ready for the week ahead. Thank you for listening and practicing with me today....