I encourage you to journal your feelings during your detox and record them in your notebook.
Feel free to talk amongst the group about your journal & feelings during our coaching meetings if you wish (you don’t have to).
After the hunger cravings fade away comes clarity of mind. That’s one of my favorite aspects of fasting.
We are here to support each other, and during a fast you’ll feel lots of things come up and unfold.
Don’t act on them, write them down in your journal. After your fast, you can decide whether you’d like to take action or not.
During your detox, only focus on your detox.
My favorite aspect about fasting is that it raises a whole new state of awareness. It’s a great way to reorient your life, and really ask yourself all these questions…
ON NEW MOON DAYS
These three days are extremely useful for envisioning how you would like the next month to go for you. During this challenging time, globally, making this effort takes on even greater significance.
This is the time to set your intentions; imagine you are planting seeds—even if you must do so with limits in place. If you are restricted in your movements or ability to plan for the future, this would be a powerful opportunity to take some time to yourself and be introspective. Ideally, you’ll create clear and specific goals.
Themes to consider when setting intentions include:
– If life feels overly serious to you right now, are you still able to find humor despite the circumstance?
– Even with limits in place, are you able to feel curious about life and the world? Or are you rigidly or unconsciously holding onto set routines or what your life was like in the past?
– Do you still feel connected with a playful and mischievous child within you?
– Consider adding actions or activities that you do just for the fun of it, or just because you’re curious.
– Find and investigate new hobbies and new interests. Try not to worry about the outcome or whether you succeed or fail.
This is a passage from an App I love, called “The Pattern”, its a social network that helps you connect with others on a deeper level, while better understanding yourself. My dear friend/coach suggested it @sharniquinn_yogicoah. It will send you daily mind-blowing notes.
I believe we are all connected to the stars. In Indonesian we say “Bulan Datang” for when a woman has her period. Which means “Moon arrived”.
Makes sense right? Anyway to me it does…
What I tell myself:
New Moon: it’s time to set your intentions. I write them in my journal, and light up incense/Palo santo in my magic bubble. I send my intentions into the universe. The universe provides.
Full Moon: stay calm, it’s the moon. Give it a few days before you act on it.
MAGIC BUBBLE
As your next journal assignment, I’m going to invite you to make yourself a magic bubble. Make it your own.
In this article Lauren explains how: http://slowgiliair.com/3-calming-rituals/
PC: @lo_mcgrath @slowgiliair
Do you have a space at home dedicated to going deeper?
Building a meditation corner, altar, magic bubble, or whatever you want to call the sacred space dedicated to connecting with your innermost self, can have a marked impact on your meditations and inner peace.
In this weeks #slowathome series, @lo.mcgrath explores different, simple ways to craft a well-balanced meditation corner. An at-home altar calls for all four elements – earth, fire, water, air. What does your space to slow down look like?
Once that’s done, time to set your intentions; imagine you are planting seed. Create clear and specific goals. Start writing. 🙂
Love yourself,
I Love You!
BOOM!
Julie
This is mine… Hahaha!!
Normally I also have an avocado growing (water).
I’ll take a better picture soon.
Just make it your OWN MAGIC BUBBLE <3
Much Love
DAY 1: YOUR JOURNALING ADVENTURE BEGINS TODAY
My absolute favorite journaling exercises are inspired by @heyamberrae.
Your invitation for today:
Start by tuning into your feelings. Pull out your journal and complete the following sentences:
I feel . . .
I want to feel . . .
To feel this way, I will . . .
This is a practice I use every morning to get present to my current state, while also anchoring into and creating the conditions for my desired state.
Next, set an intention for how you want to feel when our journey completes. Return to your journal and complete the following sentences:
At the end of this journey, I want to feel . . .
To feel this way, I will . . .
Journalling Pro Tip: Whatever you are feeling is valid and OK.
DAY 2: WHAT ARE YOUR FEELINGS TRYING TO TELL YOU TODAY?
When I experience a difficult emotion, I use journaling to give that emotion a chance to speak and feel heard through the page. It’s as if I’m handing the emotion a microphone, so it can communicate its needs with me.
Your invitation for today is to let an emotion have a voice.
Start by picking a difficult emotion that’s been present for you lately. Maybe you’ve noticed feeling anxious, bored, lonely, sad, scared, tired, or overwhelmed. Whatever it is, know that it’s okay to feel that way.
With that in mind, at the top of your journal page, write:
Hey [the emotion of your choice], it’s me, [your name]. You’re safe and welcome here. I’m here to listen. What are you trying to tell me?
Next, free-flow write, as if the emotion is speaking to you, until it feels seen and heard.
Giving your emotion a chance to speak might feel uncomfortable at first, so if that’s your experience today, that’s totally normal.
In case it’s helpful to see an example, here’s a snippet of a conversation I had with Anxiety as I was putting together this journaling journey for you 🙂
Hey Anxiety, it’s me, Amber. You’re safe and welcome here. I’m here to listen. What are you trying to tell me?
Anxiety: Stop trying to make this journey perfect. You do not need to have all 30 days written up in advance. I’m feeling anxious because you’re putting too much pressure on me, and I want you to enjoy the creative process and the gift you’re creating for people. Journaling is your jam. Have fun. Let it flow and come from your heart. If you get stuck, reconnect with your intention, and create from that place. If you make a mistake, celebrate it! You’re learning and growing, and you’re showing up. That’s what matters. Also… can we take a walk soon?
Me: Damn, Anxiety. Way to get to the point! That was really helpful. How about that walk?!
Journalling Pro Tip: Tears and swear words are encouraged.
DAY 3: ASK FOR GUIDANCE
Just like we can hand our difficult emotions a microphone and let them speak, we can also do that for the wisdom that lives within us.
Your invitation for today is to ask for guidance.
At the top of your journal page, write:
Hey inner wisdom*, it’s me, [your name]. I’m here to listen. What guidance do you have for me?
*feel free to replace “inner wisdom” with intuition, source, God, Goddess, Knowing, or whatever expression resonates most for you.
Next, free-flow write, letting guidance speak to you until you feel complete.
Two suggestions:
- You can leave it open-ended, or you can ask for guidance around a specific challenge or curiosity.
- If it feels uncomfortable at first, that’s okay. Whatever comes up for you is wonderful. Just like we don’t build muscles after going to the gym for one day, our inner world needs stretching and strengthening too.
Journalling Pro Top: Light a candle and take a few deep breaths before you begin. Fire energy connects you to passion, that feeling of fire in your belly, and warmth. We must learn to listen to the whispers of the Universe, so that she doesn’t have to yell.
DAY 4: CREATE SAFETY FROM WITHIN
During rough seas, we can train ourselves to create calm and safety from within, and that will inspire calm in others.
One place to begin is with the inner child that lives within us. Just like any child, our inner children may need help meeting their needs, especially in uncertain times.
Your invitation today is to offer a compassionate ear to your inner child so that they can feel safe, seen, and heard.
Building on the letter-writing we’ve been doing the last few days, pull out your journal and at the top, write:
Dear inner child, It’s me, [your name]. I’m here to listen. What do you need to feel safe right now?
Once you feel complete answering that, ask:
When you start to feel anxious, overwhelmed or afraid, what do you need from me?
An alternate approach:
If writing to your inner child feels unnatural, try these prompts instead:
What do I need to feel safe right now?
When I feel anxious, overwhelmed, or afraid, what do I need?
Journalling Pro Top: This is a safe space that’s just for you.
DAY 5: RECLAIM YOUR POWER
This leads me to today’s invitation: to walk through fear and reclaim your power.
As you may or may not know, I wrote a book about embracing fear. When I was doing research for the book, the fear that I observed people challenged by the most was a fear of the unknown.
The human brain is particularly skilled at imagining worst-case scenarios, and when uncertainty and a “global pandemic” are thrown into the mix, that skill goes into overdrive.
Here’s the thing though: fear and anxiety can be useful. Their role is to protect and keep us safe from threats. It’s why a lot of us are proactively stocking our fridges, social distancing, and washing our hands dozens of times a day. But when that fear leads to paralysis and spinning thoughts, it impacts our well-being—and it’s contagious to others.
When we focus on what we can control, and we take tiny steps forward, that’s how we take our power back.
Here’s how we’re going to explore that today:
- In a fresh page in your journal, make a list of every anxious or fearful thought you’re experiencing right now, like “I don’t know when this will end” or “What if someone I love gets sick?”
- When you feel complete, review the list and circle the ones that you either have control over or can do something about.
- Next to each one that you have circled, create a tiny action step. For example, the tiny step for “I don’t know when this will end” could be “I’ll focus on doing my best today.” Or, the tiny step for “What if someone I love gets sick?” could be “Call my mom.”
- When you’ve finished with your tiny steps, go back to the ones that you didn’t circle because they are beyond your control. Tell them: “Thank you for trying to protect me. I appreciate your concern. I’m good for now.”
And that’s one way to feel lighter, more powerful, and more in control.
Journalling Pro Tip: If you miss a day, you’re not behind. You’re on your timeline.
DAY 6: WHAT FEELS UNRESOLVED IN YOUR LIFE?
It includes your next journal assignment.
My journal has been a dear companion in moments of disappointment, pain, and grief.
Whether it was an unexpected and uncomfortable change in plans, a vision that fell apart, a heart-wrenching breakup, or a past memory that I was still holding onto, my journal helped me write my way through it.
Your invitation today is to explore an area of your life that feels unresolved.
Start by thinking about a situation or relationship that feels unresolved and is harboring tension for you. Maybe you feel hurt or resentful. Maybe you feel disappointed. Maybe you feel distant or indifferent, because numbness feels safer than confronting some difficult emotions.
With that in mind, here’s your invitation:
- Write a letter to the person or situation that feels unresolved, saying everything you need to say.
- Burn the letter or rip it to shreds when you’re done.
- Dance around the room. Pat yourself on the back. Celebrate however you choose, to mark this new beginning.
Some thought starters, if you’re feeling stuck:
- The unresolved situation or relationship I want to explore is…
- What about this feels unresolved?
- What about this hurts me?
- What might this be trying to teach me?
- What do I need to feel free?
Journaling Pro Tip: Make mistakes part of the page. Imperfections are welcome.
Jump in and let go!
