Barbara Schmidt's Blog, page 48

Healing Through Storytelling

One of the things that I love about life is how everyone has their own unique view of the world. You and I may be looking at the exact same thing, but interpret it differently, and it’s totally okay and even amazing. Each and every one of us has a story, and it is 100% unique and our own. There is no one else on this earth that has the same story that you do, and that in itself should make you feel special and gifted. The tricky thing about our stories is that sometimes a part of the story can be dark, sometimes it can be bright, and sometimes it can be confusing, it is never a flat line. But this is also what is amazing about our stories. We can learn so much from them. We would not be who we are in this moment without the many sub-stories we have been through to get us here today.

The art of storytelling can be so healing, for ourselves, and even for others. I learned this recently. At a workshop, I was asked to tell a story about myself that I felt would have no significance to the group; it seemed silly and utterly unimportant to anyone other than myself. In my mind, it was simply an exercise in public speaking, but still I got up and told my story. The benefits of this exercise were two-fold. I, myself, felt healed through this storytelling. In my speaking, connecting, and feeling how I felt in that moment, and then projecting it out to others, helped me to feel a major release of any baggage or emotion that I still held onto. Even better, I had many people come up to me to express to me how telling my story, and speaking my truth, as mundane as I thought it was, had influenced, healed, and motivated them as well. This felt amazing.

My blog this week doesn’t have steps or tips, but I encourage you to find healing in your own stories, and if you feel so compelled find outlets to share the stories that you feel have impacted you in some way. Storytelling is an amazing way to connect on a deep level with other people, and can bring so much love, healing, and happiness into our lives.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this in the comments below and hope to someday hear some of your stories!

Yoga Poses for Energy

As many of you know, I love yoga. Yoga is a huge part of my life, and the practice of movement, meditation, and breathing brings so many blessings to my life on a daily basis. One of the great benefits of yoga is an increase in energy and vitality. I don’t know about you, but there are many times during the week where I just need an extra kick to get going. Yoga is an amazing way to get that boost, it’s natural, it’s easy, and best it can be free to do in your own home. There are a few poses I know that when I practice them, in a mindful way, I’ll feel a boost of energy and a sense of clarity in just a few short minutes.

Seated meditation. Whenever I begin any kind of yoga practice, I start in a comfortable seated position and close my eyes. It’s so important to connect with yourself before you move your body. A simple seated meditation can build awareness and increase your attention span by bringing your mind back to the present moment.
Forward Fold. Standing with feet hip-width apart, gently and easily fold forward, bending your knees if necessary to protect your back. In this instance, you aren’t necessarily trying to get a deep hamstring stretch, you’re mostly aiming for the inversion of getting your head below your heart, bringing lots of fresh blood to the brain. This is one of my favorite poses, as I feel so calm and at ease. You can allow you arms to dangle, or grab opposite elbows as well and just hang, but mostly feel around for what’s comfortable for you.
Warrior II. An empowering pose to help you take control of your day. I love a good Warrior II, when I really want to feel my own strength. Standing with your feet together, gently lunge one foot back, rotating that foot at a 45-degree angle with your whole foot pressing down the floor. Keep your front knee bent at a 90-degree angle so that your knee is stacked above the foot, and not past the foot. Extend your arms out to the sides and gaze forward, and breathe. Make sure to do both sides!
Backbend. A great, quick way to get some energy is with a backbend. There are many backbends in the yoga world, so you can choose one to your liking. A great, easy pose to do at any time of day is a simple standing backbend. With your feet hip-width distance apart, bring your hands down to your lower spine for support. As you inhale, lengthen your spine upward, and as you exhale gently begin to look back, going in to a simple backbend. Feel a nice opening in your chest here and remember to continue to breathe throughout! It’s not about how deep you can go in your backbend; it’s the feeling of creating space and opening up the body.
Gentle Spine Twist. Your spine is a channel for energy, and especially for those of us who sit all day, it can be very beneficial to add some simple twists to keep your body agile. Sitting comfortably again in either a chair or cross-legged on the floor, bring your left hand to your right knee, lengthen your spine upward, look over your right should and gently twist the spine. Remember to keep creating space in the spine by using your breath, and don’t try to force your body into a deeper twist, go to where is comfortable for you and to where you feel a nice stretch. As always, make sure you do the opposite side to stay balanced!

Like with any physical exercise, make sure you listen to what your body is telling you, and back off of any of these poses if they don’t feel right for you; and remember don’t go to your limit- be gentle with yourself. These are simply my take on some simple poses, but it’s always great to get into a local yoga studio and be with a teacher in person. If you have never done yoga, you may wish to check with your doctor before beginning. What kind of physical activity do you do to stay energized? Let me know!

Creating Healthy Habits and Daily Rituals

How we spent our time matters a lot, especially how we spend our free time. Lately I’ve learned the value of daily habits and rituals. Sometimes I feel rebellious and try to make myself believe I don’t need habits and rituals in my life, and time after time I’m proven wrong. The special things you do on a daily basis are what make life magical and meaningful. Your daily habits and rituals are your non-negotiables, things that are musts in your day. My journey on a spiritual path is always trial and error. I find what works for me and I find what doesn’t. What I’ve also found is how important it is to follow your intuition on what your daily habits and rituals are. If you’re looking to build your day around purposeful and soulful habits here is an example of what I do on the regular:

Wake up (and try my hardest not to look at my phone)
A prayer of gratitude for a new day. (I just love waking up and in my mind thanking life or another day.)
Drink a big glass of water! (It’s so important to hydrate first thing in the morning!)
Morning meditation (this usually varies on type and time, but I always make sure to start my day with quiet, reflective time.)
Angel card reading with journaling (I love to pull three cards from any deck of angel cards as a way to tap into the divine guidance for the day and also as a way to tap into my intuition.)
Hot water with lemon (An amazing way to detox before you get your day going.)
Morning exercise (yoga, Pilates, weight training, or sometimes cardio, I love to get moving first thing in the morning.)
Mindfulness through out the day (try and stay focused on one activity at a time.)
Reading for inspiration at night (I love to unwind with a great inspirational book.)
Mental gratitude list right before bed (Ending my day in gratitude for all that has happened that day is so amazing and a wonderful way to ease your mind before sleep.)

What are your healthy habits and daily rituals? Let me know in the comments below!

5 Steps to Happiness

Last week I discussed how happiness is a choice that I make, every single day. I know this statement might seem a little trite or flighty, but I mean it. When I write to you every week, I don’t try to tell you how to live your life, but strive to share what has worked for me, in hopes of inspiring you. As a follow up, I want to share with you how I create happiness in my own life. I know there are a lot of people out there who struggle with happiness, anxiety, and depression. I want you to know that I feel you on this, and I don’t want to discount your feelings about that, I simply want to give you hope and offer up tools that have helped me in my darkest times. Do you want to be happier, or feel relief from the strife of life? Here are some tips I follow in creating a happier life in mind, body, and spirit.

Meditation. The times I feel most unhappy are when I’m disconnected from my true self. Meditation and quiet time immediately helps me with this. There is something really special about sitting with yourself and listening to your own breath. Don’t try to get anything out of your meditation, simply sit in your own magnificence.
Yoga. My yoga practice saved me at one of the darker periods of my life. The practice of movement, breath work, and meditation is pure magic. There is nothing that can replace my yoga practice in my life, and it truly brings me a sense of real joy.
Other physical exercise. Yoga is my jam, but I’ve also realize that other forms of exercise are beneficial too, especially for happiness. When you move your body in a cardiovascular way, you release endorphins into the body—creating a feeing of happiness. Find some fun exercise classes, check out a new gym, go for a daily walk and get your body moving!
Spiritual running buddies. Find your tribe and use them to help you emotionally through trying times. I feel like I spend time searching for people in my life who have my back, unconditionally.
Professional support system. I am a true believer in therapy and professional guidance. I’ve known many therapists and life coaches who have given me so much in my life. Be brave and seek out professionals who can help lift your spirits, shift your perspectives, release old traumas, when the list above just doesn’t cut it for you.

How do you bring happiness into your life? Let me know in the comments below!

Happiness is a choice

Hi Everyone! Happy Sunday! I hope you all have had an amazing week. I’m fresh off a wonderful experience at Kripualu with Gabby Bernstein soaking up lots of knowledge at her Masterclass. Her quote, “Happiness is a choice I make” inspired today’s blog.

What’s really neat about this is, I usually come up with topics to write about way ahead of time, and choosing happiness has been on my list for sometime now. While flying up to Stockbridge, MA earlier this week, I was messing around on my phone creating inspirational images for social media and decided to create one for this Gabby quote that kept coming to mind. As the Universe so magically works, Gabby spoke on this quote the very first night of our workshop, signaling to me that this is the perfect topic for our week.

You know how powerful your mind is right? Your thoughts dictate your emotions and your mental state. Although at times it can seem totally unmanageable (trust me, I know) you have complete control over your thoughts. What path do you choose to take with your thoughts? Do you want to choose happiness? Great! Below are some tips on how I choose happiness on a daily basis.

Daily Meditation/Quiet time. Going back to the sentiment above on the difficulty of monitoring your thoughts, meditation is the ultimate tool to tackle this. In meditation, you train your brain to calm down, to be more still, to find the space between the thoughts, and it is here where you can begin to see that you can choose the thoughts you think.
Purposeful Action. What makes me happy is finding meaning in almost everything I do. We get stuck in autopilot so often in life and don’t even realize our actions, take a step back and be mindful of your actions today.
Have fun. All I want to do lately is have fun, I want life to be joyful, and it should be. I’m making a conscious effort to choose people, places, and situations that bring a smile to my face. What are some playful situations you can add to your life?
Love yourself a whole lot. This one can be so hard, but what I’ve realized, even when you do all of these things above, you still have to be in love with yourself to find happiness. You are your own partner in this life, why on earth would you want to spend your time here fighting yourself. Find some ways where you can be more loving to yourself, learn to love your own company and the beautiful person you are in this world.

Are you choosing happiness in your life? I’d love to hear about it, drop a comment below!

I also want to hear from you! What topics would you like to hear about from me? How can I be of service to you? You can comment below or send me an email. I love hearing from you!

Breathing: Your everyday, easy, free stress relief tool

Do you ever really stop to think about how important, beneficial, and life affirming your breath is? I know there are so many times where I don’t pay attention to my breath, or even worse, in stressful situations, realize that I’m barely breathing at all. Sure, breathing keeps us alive; it brings oxygen to the brain. The breath can be used in so many ways to help relieve stress, calm your nerves, tap into your intuition, and so much more. Your breath is your very own, free, natural tool that you can use at any time to change a situation; you simply have to remember that it’s there. I’ve learned many breathing techniques in my trainings throughout the years, so here are a few you can use in any given moment to bring peace of mind, body, and spirit.

Alternate nostril breathing. A yogi technique to de-stress and calm the mind. Essentially, you alternate breathing through each nostril for a given period of time. For more instruction on this technique, click here.
Meditation focusing on the breath. Just like you would in your regular meditation, sit comfortably, close your eyes and simply focus on your breathing. Notice your inhales, and your exhales, but don’t try to control them. Allow the rhythm of your breathing to calm your mind and your body. A great way to start your day.
Backpack Meditation. I learned this technique from one of my teachers, Gabby Bernstein, and it’s simple, easy to do, and can relieve stress, anger, or anxiety in only a minute of practice. For more instruction on this meditation, click here.
Simply breathe. You don’t need to complicate it, when things get crazy just remember to breathe; in and out through your nose. You can close your eyes, and take a few nice, deep breaths and notice a shift in your mood or attitude. Give yourself permission to stop and breathe throughout the day.

I’m always amazed by how present to the moment I feel, when I remember to breathe.

What breathing techniques do you use to manage your stress and anxiety? Have you tried any of these above? Let me know!

Breaking Down your Blocks to Love

Continuing our theme of the month, love, and it being Valentine’s Day weekend, I decided we could finally talk about romantic love. We all want to know ways that we can improve our romantic relationships, no matter if you’re happily married or single. Romantic love can bring up so many fearful and sabotaging emotions, so this week we are going to talk about how you can break through your own blocks to create a healthy, serving romantic love life. Oh la, la, exciting yes? Check out these tips below:

Know your own self-worth. This basically goes back to last week’s self-love fest. Know how awesome you are and truly believe that you deserve a partner that mirrors your awesomeness. It’s not selfish or vain to think this way, it’s telling the Universe you are ready energetically to pull in the right match. Same goes if you’re in a relationship, know where you stand, make yourself an equal in this relationship, and own your awesomeness.
Heal past relationships. We’ve all had crappy relationships that make us think that romantic love is one big bummer. We need these relationships to teach us about what we want, and how we behave in relationships. Do the work to heal any hurt, pain, or resentment you have towards past relationships. Energetically cut any cords you still have tied and free yourself from the past.
Learn to love your own company. You are enough in this moment, and you are a fun person to be around! You don’t need to have someone else to make you feel worthy, learn to love your own company. So many times we feel like we need a partner just because we don’t want to be alone, and that is a clingy, unattractive energy that really won’t serve you in the long run. Be self-sufficient, independent, and love time spent with just you.
Don’t compare to other relationships. Comparing is seriously the worst, especially when it comes to romantic relationships. It’s a major buzz kill if you are in a relationship, and it’s such a downer if you are single. Don’t compare yourself to someone else or someone else’s relationship, just don’t. You will be happier, your partner will be happier; it’s just a win win.
Know what you want. It’s really helpful to know what you want in a relationship. You don’t have to be uber specific, but start to imagine what your ideal relationship would look like, what the details are, and the role you play in that relationship. Send a clear message to the Universe.
Surrender timing to the universe. With all this being said, surrender is key. You can’t control how everything will unfold, so just trust, that in due time, everything will work out for you romantically, as it should.

I hope these little tips help you in your relationships! Know that you are loved right now, just as you are! Let me know how this goes for you!

Self Love

February is a month that seems to be completely encompassed in love—which is fantastic. Generally speaking, when we think about the month of February we think about love, but mostly romantic love. In reality, love isn’t just about romantic love. Romantic love only makes up a small portion of all the many facets that love has. In my humble opinion, the best kind of love is self-love. So much of the good stuff in life stems from having a healthy, loving relationship with yourself.

The world is made up of energy, right? We are all energetic beings giving and receiving energy all day, every day. It is in this alone that proves how important it is for us to love ourselves. For example, think about the energy you put out into the world if you walk around hating yourself. Not good, right? I really feel that there are so many of us in this world that don’t have that deep loving relationship with themselves, and therefore create a ripple effect of indifference and even hatred. So do you want more love in this world? Start by loving yourself. Not in a narcissistic way, not in an ego way, but in a caring, compassionate kind of way.

I feel like I’ve made it my mission this year is to learn to completely love and accept myself, while also helping others to do the same. I practice yoga, meditate, journal, practice affirmations, and try to eat a balanced diet. But there is still so much to learn. Hence, I encourage all of you to check out our amazing event next week, which is ALL about self-love and self-care. If you’re in New York, you should totally come join us in person, but if you’re not, you can be with us via livestream! Some of my favorite people in the health and wellness world, such as Kathryn Budig, Tara Stiles, Barb Schmidt, Veronica Bosgraaf, Michele Promaulayko, and Keri Glassman, will be teaching us how to lead the most loving life possible—in hopes of creating a loving, compassionate world. I am personally so excited, as I know I will learn so much from these amazing ladies and am pretty confident you will to.

Want to learn more or are ready to join us? Click here www.ilovemeevent.eventbrite.com. Have any questions? Feel free to email me at michelle@peacefulmindpeacefullife.org.

How to Tap into Your Intuition (even when it feels really hard)

I’ve been going to self-help, meditation, yoga, and mindfulness seminars for years. My intention of doing all this has been to be the best person I can be, but also to tap into my own sense of inner strength and intuition. I desire to create a life I love; one that flows effortlessly and is lead by my own inner guide. I will be the first to admit that doing this has been hard work and at times, frustrating.

I’ve learned so much from every single lecture I’ve been to, but one thing that has always irked me is when people make the assumption that it’s an easy task to tap into your intuition, follow your inner guide, or even recognize signs from the Universe. I’ve been in so many seminars feeling like I’m the odd one out who just doesn’t have the capability to cultivate these tools that seem so easy for everyone else. In my opinion, tapping into your intuition and spiritual tools takes practice, patience, and work. It takes dedication; it takes research, finding what methods and techniques work for you. There isn’t a magic potion or secret trick, but it’s a lifestyle and way of life. I write this blog for those of you who struggle, like me to “get connected”. Below I’ll give you some methods that have worked for me, in hopes of guiding you to a happy, connected life.

Meditation. One of the best ways to access your intuition is by simply sitting with yourself everyday, in silence for a few minutes. Close your eyes, focus on your breath, and just be comfortable sitting with yourself. It’s there that we start to connect, and gradually this daily practice strengthens that connection.
Journaling. Another tool that I love, journaling is the practice of letting thoughts stream from pen to paper. Don’t edit, don’t even try to make it pretty or rational. Just streamline your thoughts onto paper. Sometimes people feel in mediation that they were too much in their heads, journaling allows you to get those thoughts out and really witness what is actually going on in your mind. Try incorporating a journaling practice first thing in the morning or even before bed.
Yoga. My yoga practice has helped me immensely in connecting with my intuition and even getting in touch with my body. For me, yoga is moving meditation, where you take your mind off the crazy thoughts of the external world and simply focus on the postures and your breath. I come up with so many great ideas in my yoga practice; it’s definitely a go-to for me.
Checking in with your body. One of my favorite life coaches taught me to start checking in with signals from my body throughout the day. Just like your body tells you when it’s thirsty or hungry, it sends signs when you’re doing something that makes your soul happy, or if you’re not. Start to notice how your body feels when making decisions, or even in random situations throughout the day. Learn your body’s ways of communicating with you.
Asking for guidance, and listening. Begin conversation with your intuition, whether it’s in prayer or even journaling. Ask for what you want or need clarification and start to try and listen for answers. Be aware of signs that pop up in your life throughout the day. Learn to trust your inner guide that it won’t lead you astray.

I hope this helps you in some way! Stick with a practice that works for you and pay attention to how your connection grows! Let me know what works for you!

How to make the best of a bad situation

Happy Sunday! We are almost to the end of January, can you believe how fast time flies? Now that we are fully out of the holiday swing and back into the grind of regular life, we may start to feel a little down and dreary. The holidays bring up so many emotions, mainly positive ones, that when it’s all over, we’re left to feel a little depleted. It’s also common to feel dissatisfied with the regular to do’s of daily life. What I hear so often at this time of year is situational discontent in life. We’ve made resolutions, set goals, dreamed big; and now we are left with what we have right now, and for many of us, there’s a little bit of a let down that comes with that. We want our lives to change for the positive right now, but our minds get caught up in a tailspin of wishful thinking and unhappiness with what is. Whether you’re feeling blue about a relationship, a job, your home, or your finances, I promise you there is always some sort of silver lining. So this week, let’s talk about how to make the best of any situation you may be going through. Check out some tips below to find ways to get through anything with grace and ease.

Be the light. No matter how dark a situation may be, first start by trying to bring light to it. If you have a terribly mean boss or some dysfunction in your family, try to bring forth change, by being the change you wish to see. Negative doesn’t cancel out negative, positive does. Try it out!
Be heard. So many times we stuff down our thoughts and opinions for fear of negative repercussions. Use your voice, stand up for yourself and be heard! Be thoughtful, respectful, and honest, and share your input to promote change.
Be proactive. What can you do right now to make the situation better? Go inward and search for meaningful solutions or quick fixes to give yourself a positive boost. This may also mean, start researching ways to exit the situation or finding an alternative answer.
Be protected. Know where you stand and create boundaries. How much are you willing to take before you make the ultimate change? It’s great to always know where you stand so that you’re clear when it’s time to move on.
Be ready. Just like it’s great to know what your limits are, it’s also great to be mindful and ready on when the timing is right to make that change. If you’re wanting a new career, start exploring what makes your heart sing so that when the time is right you can transition with ease. The same goes for any other situation you’re dealing with. Preparation is key.

I hope these tips help you with any challenging situations you may be facing. I do have one caveat here. These tips are for you in the notion that you or your loved ones aren’t in any harm or danger; they simply are for bumps in the road. If you find yourself in a scary situation beyond your control, please seek help and aid from sources you trust. Have a great week everyone! xoxo