This week our guest blogger is Tracy Feldstein, founder of organic body care line hellomellow, which donates 5% of all products in their “balance collection” to B4BC’s Survivorship Fund.
As a massage therapist and body mind therapist, I am constantly reminding people of the importance of being mellow. In my years of experience, what I have learned again and again from my clients and their bodies is: You are in charge of your ability to heal yourself, and of your health.
The key to healing is giving yourself the chance to.
It’s important to find the things that make you mellow and feel good. I suggest to all my clients creating a resource list: a list of things that bring you happiness, make you
smile and create an overall feeling of mellow. This list is your very own, filled with things personal to you. Mine looks something like this (but imagine it as long as the length of the back of my bedroom door):
- Go on a nature hike with Bailey (my pup)
- See a movie
- Paint
- Play with my niece and nephew
- Cook with/for friends
- Get a massage
Once you have your list, use it!
Pick at least one thing a day and do it. Use your list if you are feeling less than your normal self. Use it to encourage yourself and bring you back to feeling good (feeling good/mellow = healing/your body functioning at its healthiest).
An amazing aspect of this list is that you don’t even have to actually do these things. If you are having a stressful day, or a full day where you just can’t seem to make some me time, or if you are under the weather, or undergoing medical treatment, what’s cool about your resources is that all you have to do is think about something on your list and imagine yourself doing it to get a sense of joy or calm or mellow. It doesn’t matter what adjectives you use to describe the feeling these resources give you, what matters is what is happening in your body…It’s called healing.
Massage is a great resource. Take a moment to think about getting a relaxing massage. Do it up, design it…the music, a delicious smelling candle, a soothing aromatherapy oil, do you notice something happening in your body as you imagine it? I call that getting mellow. Not only does massage relax your nervous system and your muscles, it also puts you in touch with how your body feels. It quiets your mind and gives you a great self check in about your physical and mental state.
- Did you settle in and relax easily?
- Did your mind wander the entire time?
- Did you sleep through it?
- Did your body ache?
- Could you use more stretching? More sleep?
Anything that makes you mellow, unwinds your nervous system. As your nervous system unwinds, it lets go of stress and the by products of stress which are muscle tension, held breathe, and the all of the toxins that build up in your body from stress. Freeing up your body of this stress allows it to heal itself and for your system to function
at its highest level. Being mellow allows you to heal yourself.
Start now.
Make your list.
Do or imagine something off of it daily.
Let it change and evolve as you do.
Be mellow about your list and your life.
Be healthy and keep it mellow,
Tracy
