Dear Wonderful! I hope this post finds you feeling wonderful!
I have been busy working and planning for the Ojai Retreat because I want it to be absolutely magical for everyone who attends. Plus, I plan on enjoying myself throughout the weekend, too. One of our intentions for the Ojai Retreat is to focus on self-care and the creation and amplification of a Daily Ritual Practices. With those intentions, I have been waking up naturally every morning at 4 AM feeling revitalized and energized to work on a book that I will be giving to the women who attend the retreat and that will be published and available for purchase sometime in early June. I have been carving out time each day for my own daily ritual practice, too and for engaging in an invigorating self-care regime to ensure I am walking my talk, dancing my tune and ebbing and flowing with all that's up in the air. So often the word "busy" can get a bad wrap as in when we hear someone say, "Oh my God! I am so busy!" The energy and unspoken words are usually something more to the effect of, "I am overwhelmed" or "I am doing too much." There are many times when I have felt that sense of overwhelming busyness but lately, as all of my extra time has been devoted to consciously choosing how I will show up, what I will say yes to and then, doing things I truly love, like bringing my heartfelt desires into reality, I have been tapping into an energy source that feels abundantly blessed. So now my new mantra has been "Busy and Blessed" because I want to appreciate all that my body is allowing me to do each day. I am fortunate to have hands that work and to be able to use them to be of service with things I enjoy doing.
You might be wondering, "What is a ritual practice?"
A ritual is any practice or pattern of behavior regularly performed in a set manner. While often, the word ritual is used in regards to religious ceremonies or spiritual practices, it can also be used to describe anything that you do on a regular basis with a specific intention to connect to your joy. Perhaps, you light a candle when you are cooking or you fill the tub up with lavender or maybe during these cooler winter days, you slowly sip tea by the fire. The difference between a ritual and a habit has more to do with the energy, intention, and reason behind that action. When we do things mindfully and with the desire to connect with a space within ourselves that is loving then we are engaging in a form of ritual.
Participating in a daily ritual practice of self-care, meditation, or really any activity that brings you joy and clarity is a powerful way to start the day. Most of the top entrepreneurs, performers, business owners and athletes all have a daily ritual they do every day to keep them at the top of their game. The research on rituals is vast and profound with the majority of all of the conclusions ending in the same thing:
RITUALS WORK!
Rituals can:
bring order and structure to a world that is inherently disordered and chaotic
enhance your ability to focus your attention on the things that matter most to you.
give you greater clarity and peace of mind.
give you a boost of confidence and the sense of control in your inner world.
eases anxiety by bringing about a sense of personal control
fulfills a psychological need for predictability
To learn more about the psychology of rituals you can check out this article by clicking here.
One way that you can start adding more rituals to your life is by paying attention to your words, your energy, and your emotions. Feeling and noticing what you feel is a ritual in and of itself, AKA: mindfulness. Remember, emotions are energy in motion. If you want to expand and increase your energy, try noticing how you respond to the question, "How are you?" This is something I have been practicing lately and the benefits are profound because it allows me to slow down to notice what is happening to me. Now, not everyone actually wants to stop long enough to listen but that's another story. This observation is something you are doing just for you as part of your self-care routine.
Try This:
Next time someone asks, "How are you? Notice if your answers are in alignment with your feelings. Consider Newton's Third Law, stating, "every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." Think of your responses (actions) as opportunities to create positive internal reactions for the experience you want to create. Maybe, the next time you are feeling "busy" you can also consider all of the things your body and your mind are capable of doing and how blessed you are to have a body that works and mostly follows your commands. When you get to that space, place your hand on your heart and feel what your body is doing. Notice your breath. Notice the rhythm of your heart beating. Notice how deeply you are breathing. And then, practice a little mantra by saying, "I feel you. I hear you. I see you. I acknowledge you. I bless you."
Remember: You are worthy and deserving of all your love, attention and affection. You only get one lifetime to be you. Or as Dr. Seuss likes to say, "There is no one YOUER than YOU!"
Busy and Blessed,
P.S. If you ever want extra help in setting up your own ritual practice, meditation practice or a new fitness routine, I am here for you. Just reach out and let me know! I am available for private or group sessions by request. P.P.S. Voyage LA featured me in their inspiring stories section so if extra reading is one of your rituals, check it out by using this link!
If you would like to create and amplify your daily ritual practice then, Ojai is the place to be! I will keep putting these little notes out just in case you need that extra nudge to sign up.
Women's Weekend Retreat In Ojai With Julie Rader & Born Wonderful, LLC MAY 17 - 19, 2019
We have a variety of options for your stay at Twin Creek Ranch. Twin Creek Ranch is a six bedroom home with each bedroom having from one to six beds. You choose your room and your roommate if you are booking together with a friend. At checkout just let us know and we will do our best to match you up. Or we will be sure you are matched up with someone wonderful. By purchasing a room, you are paying for the entire retreat which includes: Food, Coffee, Teas, Non-Alcoholic Drinks, Wine (if you want), All Classes, Born Wonderful Trucker Hat, Women's Retreat Journal, Online Access to Julie's Elemental 33...and so much more!! To learn more click here!