Nikki Sharp's Blog: Nikki's Thoughts, page 3

The Detox App Hit #9 on iTunes Top 100 + My Before & After

Hello beautiful people!

As many of you know, I did the detox two weeks ago after feeling, let’s just say… blah. I’m sure many of you can relate that during this time at home for the quarantine, the amount of alcohol has increased, food choices might have gone down, plus feelings of “I just don’t want to do it.” Lol. I mean, at least for me, it was a mix of cooking absolutely delicious dinners each night that while healthy, meant I was eating toooo much +  the added wine every single dinner. I was also feeling quite overwhelmed with work, partially because I’ve used this opportunity to start creating more content. I went from not writing on my blog much, to doing weekly posts, weekly emails, starting up my YouTube again with videos to help you during this time, and a new series of “Ask Nikki” where I answer all your biggest questions. All of it just caught up to me, the tiredness, not as healthy food choices, and wine… and so I did the detox.

To get the detox for iPhone, click here. To get the detox for Android, click here.

I asked on IG if you wanted me to share my before and after photos and it was a resounding 98% said yes. My only issue with sharing them on Insta, is that I tend to get a lot of hate. This is part of the sad world we live in, that if you take care of your body, you can still receive comments from people asking why do you do the detox, you’re too skinny, your before photo was better, etc. etc.

Suffice to say, I’m not immune from these comments, but I also don’t let them bother me. Because I choose to do the detox for myself, so that I can feel mentally clear, have better sleep, more clarity in the day, feelings of happiness, and way better skin. It’s not about the weight loss for me, rather I DO still get bloated because I drink alcohol, occasionally eat cheese, and do bad food combining which all reek havoc on your tummy.

I’m sharing my before and after from this latest round of the detox, along with some other VERY inspiring b/a pics from friends. I’m also sharing some huge news of how I found out about the detox app hitting top of the charts.

Keep reading…

My before and afters

As you can see, I’m already quite lean as I DO take good care of my body… but I was feeling BLOATED. UGH. Now I realize that you might be looking at my pics and thinking that I didn’t need to do the detox, but as mentioned, I don’t ever do it for weight loss, nor do I ever weigh myself. I was very happy with the results because cravings went away, my desire of coffee and alcohol went to zero, and I felt so energetic.

I actually felt SO good doing it that I’ve decided to do it again starting tomorrow, 

Monday May 4-8, for another 5 days. I realized that during this time when we can’t control much, we CAN control what we eat. And when you eat clean, it has profound effects on your body, mood, productivity, and sleep.

Beyond doing the detox, one of the best parts is always doing it with you all!

And this time was espeically good because we are all at home right now, most of us feeling the same about too much booze, etc. It was so fun because everyone tagged me in stories and on their feed, showing their meals. I still highly encourage you to send your before and after photos (especially because the Detox app prompts you to take them), even if you don’t want me to share publicly.

Other Amazing Before & After’s

 

 

I’m also sharing two other before/after photos of people that sent me them. This is to show you the difference in body types and what can happen when you do the plan for 5 days. The first is from one of my closest friends, who came to me saying she felt massively bloated, was eating clean for meals, but then ruining it at snacks, drinking too much alcohol, and had so much inflammation her leg was in such bad pain she couldn’t walk.

What made me happiest about Bridget’s transformation was she felt so good that she decided to take the weekend off, continue it the following week, and then took this weekend off and is doing it again with me next week. Trust me when I say the detox has some magical powers! She also lost 2.7 kilos in the 5 days, or nearly 7 pounds.

The next set of before and after’s came from a friend @becwilsontheartof who was already VERY fit as you can see. She ended up losing 2 kilos, 4.4 pounds in the 5 days. She already eats very clean, however she was doing intermetinent fasting, which is good, but breaking it up with the detox is even better.

 

I hope this has convinced you that no matter what body type you have, the detox can help you. Especially if you are feeling like you’ve hit a plateau, DO THE DETOX!

 

The Detox Hit #9 in the App Store!

 

It came as a TOTAL SURPRISE last week when I received an email from a friend showing me a screen shot of my Detox App in the iTunes store and that it was #16! I had no idea and this was a wonderful gift.

Then over the course of the next 24 hours, it went to #13, then 11 and then it reached #9 in the iTunes Top 100 of ALL apps for the food & drink category. I mean, talk about amazing!

The reason I am so happy that it hit the Top 10 is because it means that people are prioritizing their health. People like you, who want to feel better and come out of this quarantine being proud of their body. Sometimes it takes us feeling like crap to do something wonderful for ourself. And this is great.

I decided to do a HUGE giveaway as a thank you to everyone, where you could receive a copy of my Detox book (The 5-Day Real Food Detox), my friend Dr. Michelle Braude’s The Food Effect, Vegan, a brand new 11-piece Blendtec blender, all of my eBooks + a one hour coaching session with me. Value is over $450!

The giveaway rules are simple, all you have to do is post a photo of a detox meal or the app once downloaded to stories, your feed, or FB and tag me and you’ll automatically be entered.

 

It goes until next Friday, May 8 as I decided to do the detox AGAIN this week.

I hope you all enjoyed reading about the detox, seeing the success, looking at before and after photos + I do hope you join me this upcoming week. DON’T FORGET, you can start any day of the week, it doesn’t need to be a Monday.

 

Tons of love,

Nikki

The post The Detox App Hit #9 on iTunes Top 100 + My Before & After appeared first on Nikki Sharp.

Why I Don’t Want Quarantine To End

Good morning beautiful people!

Happy Monday. As I sit here in London, starting a new week in week-whatever of staying at home, I realized that I don’t actually want quarantine to end. Today I wanted to take to my blog and just share some unstructured thoughts with you. Normally as I write, there is a topic that I’m helping you with, giving you tips and tricks and formatting my thoughts at bit more ‘elegantly’ let’s say. Today though, I figured it could be nice to just use this space as to write as I would in my journal.

As I spent my weekend walking around outside due to the gorgeous weather in London, as well as prepping and teaching the cooking class that I did on Sunday via Insta, I had a thought that “I’m really not ready to go back to normal life.”

I don’t know about you, but this whole time has been a roller coster of emotions coming up. I’ve found myself feeling trapped, missing my friends terribly, wanting to go out to restaurants, and just have human interaction. Then the other side of that has been I’ve finally began to enjoy at-home workouts (which I never have in the past!) and I’m loving cooking meals each night and really having “the time” to do so. Not to mention that I’m actually getting to see/speak with my friends and family MORE than before.

When the quarantine started I decided that I wanted to come out of this period a better person.

I wrote down a list of what my intentions, goals and outcomes were for this time, which included spiritual, mental, business, friend-related goals and more. I realized that many of the things I had not been doing in the past were due this perceived ‘lack of time’ and suddenly I have ‘all the time in the world.’ A few of my biggest goals were finances and to really understand as much as I can about them including where to invest, getting more clarity on my brand and where I want it to go, as well as to show up as a better daughter/friend, i.e. improve my relationships.

And so each week, these became the leading focus for me. I’ll also mention here that I HATED at-home workouts. I would literally skip a workout if I had to follow a YouTube video or do yoga solo, which is ironic because I’m a yoga teacher and love yoga/working out.

It’s only now, over a month of being at home, that I am feeling settled, finally in my grove, with a routine, and incredibly happy about what I’m doing. I’ve been dealing with the emotions that come up and rather than judge them as if I shouldn’t have them, I would dive into what were the causes behind them. Such as, I have always had doubts about my brand. It might not seem this way from the outside, but I do believe that anyone who has their own brand or company goes through this.

I always wonder if I’m putting out the right content, enough of it, why my Instagram is not growing, why I’ve had an aversion to doing more YouTube videos (the answer there is because although I put lots of energy into them, they just don’t seem to get viewed, which kills my motivation). And so during the quarantine I found that these feelings of inadequacy were popping up.

I would sit with them and then come up with an action plan as to how to overcome them, or see what I needed to change. It was a hard, but good exercise to do. And so I then launched Sharper Living, which was a total transformation program based on fitness classes, health/life coaching and cooking classes, which I’m now doing weekly and I love them. One of the things I realized was that because my rates are higher to work one-on-one with me, not so many of you had the opportunity to get help. The other side of this was I felt not many of you got to see my personality as much via IG, because there’s only so much you can get across in posts / stories.

During these classes, I’ve been able to show off my silly side and share some laughs with you. I actually feel more connected with you all as I do these classes. If I’m not feeling motivated to do the at-home workouts, leading you in the live fitness classes changes that immediately and I become so excited to teach, share, and workout with you all.

Currently I’m teaching a 30 minute HIIT class on Tues/Fri at 9.30am pst via IG Live (it was zoom but the response was you all wanted to on IG), and a 60 minute health/life coaching class on Thursday at 9.30am pst, which you need to register for.

When I go for walks around the city, I listen to podcasts by Gary V to learn more about social media and see what I can change or implement, dealing with my mental blocks. I also listen to lots of finance/business podcasts to learn about the economy, money, and what to do investment-wise right now.

My day-to-day is now based on a consistent routine (watch this video I made to learn about my hacks for productivity while being at home), setting goals for each day &  tackling the important projects. I use the Panda Planner which I love. I actually researched every planner out there and this was the one that I ended up choosing because it had everything needed to have a fulfilling + productive month/week/day.

I’ve decided to get past my mental blocks and just DO IT when it comes to writing on my blog, filming YouTube videos and sharing more fun things on IG. If you aren’t subscribed to my YT, I would love you do so, as I really have been sharing tips that will help you, ranging from dealing with anxiety/loneliness, a 10-minute guided meditation (I’ve received amazing feedback on how effective this one is), tips on productivity, and a new series of ‘Ask Nikki’ where I answer your questions in a short + fun format.

Not to mention, it’s the first time EVER that I am actually taking the weekend off from work and enjoying laying on the couch watching Netflix all day or going about my weekends with no plans, no need to do anything. I also take time off when I’m eating lunch during the week and catch up on a favorite show, whereas in the past I always did working lunches.

I’m filling the house with beautiful flowers each week to make sure there is a punch of color which makes me happy, as well as that the house is clean and organized. (An unorganized house = an unorganized mind). When I go for walks, I take photos of things that make me happy, such as how it’s spring in London and the flowers are blooming, to unique streets I find. I’ve been cooking up a storm and practicing new recipes, such as banana bread, cookies, spring rolls, some Turkish dishes, and much more.

I also started a book club when this all started, reading Attached, where I get to see my best friends each week as we discuss the book and life. My parents and I have a weekly cocktail hour date that we do and I look forward to it every Saturday now.

It was also the PERFECT time to do my 5-Day Detox, which I did last week and had hundreds of you join. There truly is no better time to do it than now, when we are all at home. One of my best friends did it with me and saw incredible results – plus it was so fun to text each other daily on how the detox was going for us and to be supportive of one another.

So although I’ve had the waves of emotion like everyone else, I’m coming to a point where I just feel like I’m finally in a routine and really getting to use this time for me. I get that it might sound selfish when we focus on ourselves, but this is needed in order to show up for others as best we can. This time at home has yes, been hard, but also, it’s made me become grateful for so so so many of the little things in life that I never really noticed.

This is why I don’t want quarantine to end. I would truly enjoy another month to continue everything and all the self-discovery.

That being said, I do realize there are many of you who have been laid off and need to find a new job or won’t make money until this is over and your company opens back up. To this, I completely understand and empthasize with you. What I can offer you now is that although you might be feeling stressed or anxious, it’s also the perfect time to really dive into yourself.

I’ve had so many comments over the years about people who hated their jobs, didn’t like their relationship, couldn’t find one, those of you who were unhappy in life for one reason or another. You will never have another opportunity like this really figure out what you want and to be able to focus on yourself. I encourage you to use this time at home, however long it will last, to figure out what you want in life, your job, your relationship. To read books on the subject you want to improve and listen to podcasts.

While these times of uncertainty can be very hard, it’s the very moment now that we are learning how to sit in those uncomfortable feelings and to let go of our need for control. The more you can do that, be better off you will be when this ends.

Okay, well those are my rambling thoughts for this Monday morning. I hope you enjoyed reading this, learning a bit more about me, and hopefully you take a moment to watch some of my YouTube videos or previous blog posts I’ve done!

I’d love to know your comments on this. Do you agree with me and have the same feelings or are you totally over the quarantine and ready for real life to start again?

Sending you all huge love for this week.

Nikki

PS – I ‘m excited to get my nails and hair done, lol.

The post Why I Don’t Want Quarantine To End appeared first on Nikki Sharp.

TIPS TO AVOID MENTAL BURNOUT DURING THE CORONAVIRUS

Hello beautiful friends!

As we enter into our fourth week of staying at home, combined with the sudden and drastic changes in our day-to-day life, you might be feeling a bit of burnout. It’s interesting because we went from feeling burned out with so many things on our to-do list, running around town for appointments, combined with meeting friends and trying to keep a social life. Cut to – we are now all at home and life has gone digital.

I don’t know about you – but I am feeling almost MORE busy than before. How is this even possible?!

You may have found yourself in a similar situation:

You’re checking social media. You’re answering emails. You’re having meetings. You’re responding to urgent requests. You’re on phone calls. You’re catering to the kids and other people. You’re checking our email and social media again.

If your day sounds like this, you’re not alone. We are spending 90% of our day in output and reaction mode. One of the challenges is that there’s no clear distinction from work to life, no change in week day to weekends. Add to that millions of people are now unemployed and trying to figure out ‘what’s next?’

Add to that the stress of going to the grocery store and waiting in lines, managing at-home schooling, zoom calls with friends, and the onslaught of free classes and courses that might leave you feel like you’re not doing enough.

This go-go-go mentality is contributing to burnout at rapid rates.

We are facing decision fatigue, with the constant barrage of news to view, deciding where to spend our time, and saying ‘yes’ to nearly everything coming our way.

In a crisis like this, burnout can emerge because of something different

– what experts call ‘decision fatigue’  BBC

I’ve personally found myself feeling stressed out from doing too much, as I’m equally caught in the transition of trying to produce more content (I mean, hey, I have time…lol), workout, lead online workout classes + health coaching, work on projects I’ve put to the side, be a good friend and daughter, learn new things, take the classes. Okay, it’s a lot.

That’s why I wanted to help you with tips on how to avoid mental burnout.

10 TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID MENTAL BURNOUT

 

Learn how to say NO. We have a tendency to overcommit ourselves because we don’t like to let others down. It can become easy to say yes to everything thats going on. Yes, I’ll join that workout class from the unlimited IG Live classes happening. Yes, I’ll do that zoom face time with friends. Yes, I’ll start that project. Yes, I’ll do that course. Right now – learn to say NO. You will no hurt anyone, rather, it will help you to set boundaries and really start to prioritize yourself. You don’t need to do it all at once, or even at all. Be kind to yourself during this time.
Meditate. This can come in all forms such as focusing on your breath for a few minutes to listening to a guided meditation as you fall asleep. The good news is there’s no right or wrong way to do it, yet committing to a daily practice can have profound effects on keeping you calm, managing anxiety and reducing any type of stress or burnout you might be facing. Check out my guided 10-minute meditation that you can do anytime (especially recommended during your 17 minute break; see below). I also recommend checking out my blog post on top meditations to reduce anxiety .
Use the 52/17 rule. This strategy helps reduce distraction by having you work straight with no breaks (that means no checking emails, social media or getting a coffee) for 52 minutes. Once the timer goes off, you take a 17 minute break to catch up on your inbox, text messages or make some food. This productivity hack is used by some of the wealthiest people in the world who manage multiple companies, helping them to balance their time. The key here is that taking more scheduled breaks throughout the day helps you work smarter, not harder. I personally use it and it’s transformed my work day!
Schedule “you time.” We tend to only schedule meetings, doctors appointments, business calls and other things that suck our time in our calendars. List out 3 things that bring you happiness that you can do each day and schedule them in your calendar the same as you do any other appointment. When you are notified of the ‘happiness event’ stop what you are doing and treat this as important as anything else you schedule. If you want to learn more about this drop me a comment below and I can share more.
Start a gratitude journal. In your phone or a notebook, jot down 3-5 things that made your smile, that you are happy about, people you got to speak to, or self-care acts that you did. Each day you do this, you’ll start to find that you become more positive, are less stressed and find joy in the simple things. When you can’t control much of the outside world, you can control what you think. I’ve been doing this for years and truly, it has been one of the most transformational things I’ve done!
Ask yourself, what will make today amazing? This is a simple exercise that can help you to see what you can do that will bring you more joy and happiness. Each morning as you wake up, write it down on a paper and put it next to your computer or on your fridge. As you look over this paper, what do you need to complete it and how will you feel after it? It’s a simple act of self-care to help you reduce burnout.
Have a consistent sleep routine. Sleep is one of the most important things for your body and when you don’t get enough, it can cause fatigue the following day, cravings, and reduce your productivity. See my last post on tips to get better slee p. (Trust me, you’ll want to read it!)
Do less. No, you don’t have to join every single free course that you’ve seen, nor do you need to have a zoom call with friends if you’re feeling tired. Now, more than ever, is a chance to really focus on what you need. Sit back, relax on the sofa and don’t stress out if you want to take a break from speaking to people. Focus on yourself and how you can nourish yourself. If you want to chill out on the couch for a day – DO IT.
Stop trying to please everyone. As humans, we have the natural tendency to want to make sure everyone around us is feeling good, which makes us tend to give all we have. It’s okay to focus on yourself and what YOU need. As the saying goes, you have to put your mask on before anyone else’s in a plane, the same goes for life. The more you can show up for yourself the better you can the to those in your life, not the other way around.
Focus on your physical health. It can become easy to have that second or third glass of wine each night (um, hello Nikki) and while this is okay for a short period of time, eating the right foods is essential right now. If you haven’t done my detox then I highly recommend it. The 5-Day Detox helps kickstart weight loss, reduces bloating and will help you to feel better immediately. Whether it’s food or fitness, commit to doing things that you know your body needs. This can be getting outside every day, starting a yoga practice, doing online workouts and eating foods that make you feel good. The saying is simple: ‘Eat good foods, feel good. Eat bad foods, feel bad.’ The key is non-judgement, rather just accept where you are and commit to making a change now.

 

I hope this post helped you with tips on how to avoid mental burnout. I realize that now is a strange time and just know that however you are feeling is completely normal. Be kind to yourself and focus on doing the best you can each and every day!

 

Sending you all love,

Nikki

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TIPS TO GET BETTER SLEEP

Hello gorgeous human!

Happy… whatever day it is. I truly feel that each day that passes makes us realise that time is just some strange illusion. All the days are blending, week days are now weekends, weekends are now next week. How strange! One thing I did want to talk to you about though, is tips to get better sleep. I also recommend having a look at the three things I do every morning as this will help you with any feelings of anxiety + help you with getting more shut eye at night.

With so much change in our lives right now, your sleep habits might have gone out the window. You might be finding yourself going to bed at erratic hours, staying up and watching Netflix or watching news, or laying in bed sleepless due to anxiety. These changes in your routine can have profound effects on your mental and physical health.

Research has shown that getting a lack of sleep can increase your risk for obesity, disease, allergies and asthma. The Center for Diseases Control and Prevention recommend that adults over the age of 18 need at least 7 hours of sleep per night.

WHY SLEEP IS SO IMPORTANT

 

 

Sleep is important as it signals to your body to release hormones that assist with:

managing your hunger levels; preventing you from having cravings such as sugar to fuel your body
improving your immune system; helping to keep you free of sickness
decreasing the risk for negative health conditions; those of which can have adverse affects on your body and mind

 

If you answer yes to any of the below then the chances of you getting enough quality, REM sleep, is likely low. This can affect everything from your work, fitness goals, to increased cortisol levels in your body which make it harder to lose weight.

Have you had any cravings over the past week?
Do you check your phone or computer within 30 minutes of going to bed?
Do you need caffeine to feel ready for the day?
Do you have a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep?
Do you ever get anxiety?
Do you hit a 3pm slump and crave sugar?

 

I’ve also added another blog post that shares some supplements that I recommend you take to get better sleep. I highly recommend reading that in addition to this as I’m sharing additional tips. Click here to read it, trust me, you’ll want to!

Now without further ado, here are my tips to get better sleep!

 

TIPS TO GET BETTER SLEEP

 

 

Eat at least two hours before bed. This gives your body a chance to focus on repair and restoration, rather than digesting.

Eat nutrient dense foods. These will help you to have more energy throughout the day without crashes, requiring caffeine.

Put your phone away 30 minutes before bed. The blue light on your screen can impede with REM sleep, signalling to your brain to stay alert.

Reduce your caffeine intake. Opt to have coffee until midday then swap over to green tea which has has reduced levels of caffeine.

Cut down on your social media time. While not a direct correlation to sleep, being online too much can promote feelings of insecurity and cause overthinking late at night.

I hope that this blog post helped you and just remember, right now we are all going through a very bizarre time in life. I truly recommend to focus on yourself and do the self work. This can mean being consistent and focusing on your sleep to finally getting your health in a place you’re happy with by changing up your food + fitness. Whatever it is that you need to do, just remember this: after this all ends, you will either be glad you did the self work, or sad that you didn’t utilize this time at home before going back to the scramble of life as we know it.

I’d love to know any tips you swear by for better sleep. Drop a comment below!

 

Tons of love,

Nikki

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3 Things I Do Every Morning

Happy…. DAY my loves!

I laugh as I type that because I saw a funny meme that had all the days of the week and the first part of each one was crossed off and all that was left was “day.” I don’t know about you, but the longer we are sitting at home, the more the days of the week are all blending together.

This is a strange period of time for us all. Something that came up for me yesterday was this thought that I was almost mad at myself that I was not feeling good about being home. Like, how can I complain or be frustrated when I’m being asked (okay required) to stay at home, cook my own meals, connect with friends virtually, which ironically I’m talking to friends and family MORE now than ever before. I’m being given the opportunity to do some self-work that is always beneficial, work on getting my finances together, and focus on what I want out of my life and career after this is all over.

It was this feeling that came over me during the weekend that I felt trapped. I didn’t want to be here anymore. I felt panicked at not knowing when this would end or if I might go crazy by the end of it.

I’m not sure if you’re having any of these same feelings – although I know at least a few are because of the comments I’ve been receiving on the Gram. One thing that I can say is this: we are ALL going through this and the emotions you feel each and every day will change. And that is not only normal, but completely OKAY.

It’s incredibly important to be kind to yourself during this time. 

The point of sharing this with you all is that I hit a huge funk over the weekend. I was lazy on Saturday and took the day off to lay in bed as I realize I’ve almost been keeping myself too busy, so as not to deal with any of the emotions. Then on Sunday I felt a bit better and managed a run, but still decided to bake again (made banana bread Saturday, which was all gone by Sunday, then cookies on Sunday, which were all gone on Monday). I didn’t feel myself either on Monday and actually started crying. Hormones? Period? Or just the fact that I am experiencing the same wave of emotions that everyone else is?

And that’s when I realized two huge things:

I am human and must allow myself to feel the emotions that come up and not try to keep myself busy so as not to deal with them
I had not done the 3 things I do every morning and it had a tremendous impact on me

 

The first bullet point there is pretty relatable, or at least I hope it is. Sometimes the coach needs to take her own advice, and that’s what that is. Bullet number two though. It being Tuesday and getting back on track, I wanted to share what these 3 things I do every morning are because I realized I had unconsciously stopped them.

So I’m sharing these with you because I believe they can help you find more motivation in your life, especially right now during these times of uncertainty.

3 Things I Do Every Morning

Listen to a motivational talk, meditation, or do my gratitude journal within 30 minutes of waking up. Prioritizing myself, including the connection to my  spirituality is vital to how I feel during the day. I try to not be too strict with what it is that I do, rather swapping out activities that I know will make feel great. If I’m not feeling too good about things or really need a kick in the booty for motivation, I listen to this youtube video. Sometimes I need to rest an overactive mind, which I then do any of these meditations. And other times I need to get myself out of a funk by shifting my focus to what I’m grateful for and writing it in my notebook.
Drink a big glass of warm water with lemon. I tend to do a coffee before my lemon water, but as soon as I’m done with said coffee, I fill a 1L mason jar with hot water and 1/2-1 whole juiced lemon and sip it over the next few hours. When I do this I have less cravings, more energy, digestion is on point, and I actually focus better. Not only that, it really does help me to make better choices for the rest of the day!
Take a shower, put on makeup and change clothes. I’ve worked from home for many years and have learned that to be productive you must act as if you’re going to an office. This means getting ready as you normally would to go out. When I stay in my pj’s and go straight to work, I find that my motivation dwindles, I find more excuses to go to the kitchen, and have less desire to workout. If you want to see some other tips I have for maximimizing productivity while working from home, watch my video.

 

I hope these help you to find a bit more balance and motivation in your life too. Just know that you will have up and down days, feel great then not-so-good, and that is totally normal.

The main thing is to keep focusing on things you CAN control, such as how you take care of yourself, why you want to do self-care, and how you act/react to things around you.

I’d love to know: what are the routines YOU do every (or mostly) morning that you swear by? Share below.

 

Tons of love,

Nikki

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Best Ayurveda Products & Why I’m Loving Them

Hello beautiful people!

I’m quite excited about this blog post today…any guesses why? It has to do with one of my favorite subjects, Ayurveda. I was introduced to this 5,000 year old healing science, knowing as “The Science of Life” during my 200hr yoga teacher training I did in Bali a few years back. What spoke to me the most about it was the emphasis on prevention, i.e. keeping you healthy so as to prevent the “band aid” treatment we currently use with healthcare. Having studied and implemented it into my life, I saw transformational changes in my body, mind, and approach to health.

Ayurveda based on the balance of the body through correct diet, your thinking patters, lifestyle and use of herbs specific to your dosha. The way that I explain it to clients is that you are born with a specific dosha (there’s three), or consitution, made up of physical, mental and emotional characteristics. This can change as you get older depending on your lifestyle, which can cause an imbalance. The three doshas are vata, pitta, and kapha. Click  this link to see a quick summary of the three and find out which one you might be. (I’m predominantly vata, to give you some perspective.)

The more I’ve learned, implemented it within my own life, and those of clients I work with, the more I have become an avid fan of this system of health and healing. It was only natural that I was thrilled when I came across a company that has products based around each dosha to help you create more balance in your life. Paavani Ayurveda provided me samples to try and I fell in love with not only the brand, but the mission behind it and needed to share it with you all. Below is a Q&A with Paavani that will help you get a better understanding of Ayurveda and how different products can help you.

Paavani Ayurveda Q & A

 

 

Why is an Ayurveda brand better for you than other natural or organic products?

Ayurveda is more than just natural and organic products, it is a lifestyle! Ayurveda is a holistic science that teaches us how to see the world through the lens of the elements or the doshas. Through this viewpoint, we are able to look at each individual as a unique compilation of ether, air, fire, water and earth. For example, one person may have more fire in their constitution, while another person may have more air, therefore, each person would require different things to cultivate balance. Through this understanding of the elements, Ayurvedic products are able to offer an authentic, individualized approach to healing rather than treating everyone as the same. 

What we also love about Ayurvedic products is that they teach us new daily rituals that we can easily incorporate into our lives in order to live in health and wellness. For example, kavala graha (oil pulling), nasya (nose oil) and karna purana (ear oil). Ayurveda has a practice to help support the optimal health of all of our sensory organs, which are oftentimes overlooked when thinking about daily self-care. Through providing simple practices for preventative health and a new way of understanding ourselves through the lens of the elements, Ayurvedic products empower anyone to become their own healer and share this wisdom with the world! 

What is special about your products?

They are formulated with the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, which has been practiced for over 5,000 years. Not only are they time-tested, but they are made with simple, pure, herbal ingredients that are provided by the earth to support our needs. Each medicinal plant has numerous healing benefits for our mind, body and skin and it is through each plant’s intuitive wisdom that we gain greater balance.

For someone who doesn’t know about ayurveda or their dosha, what products would you recommend?

For someone who isn’t familiar with Ayurveda or their dosha, we would recommend any of our non-doshic specific products including our: Golden Milk, Nose Oil, Ear Oil, Pulling Oil, Coconut Milk Bath, Anti-itch Remedy and any of our Tridoshic Products. Each of these products are considered to be tridoshic, which means that they are balancing for all doshas, all elements and all skin types.  You can find your dosha along with a wealth of Ayurvedic knowledge on our website www.paavaniayurveda.com.

 I’m asked all the time on how to clear skin from redness, acne, and scarring. What products from your line would you say to use?

We recommend our Clarify Skincare Ritual for blemish-prone skin. This line was specifically formulated for anyone who is looking to deeply detoxify, fight acne-causing bacteria and heal scarring of the skin. Our Pitta Skincare Ritual could also be a great option for these imbalances, especially if someone has redness and more sensitive-type skin. 

 What causes acne in the first place (from an ayurvedic point of view)?

Ayurveda believes that breakouts are caused by a combined imbalance in all three of the doshas. Toxic residue builds up as a result of an imbalance in vata dosha (ether + air), inflammation occurs due to an imbalance in pitta dosha (fire + water) and unhealthy sebum production is a result of an imbalance in kapha dosha (earth + water). From this vata-pitta-kapha imbalance, bacteria begins to accumulate in the pores & blemishes have the perfect breeding ground to wreak havoc on the surface of the skin. Since Ayurveda teaches us that improper digestion is the root cause of all disease, there is no avoiding the fact that all of these imbalances are also directly related to the individual’s diet and lifestyle choices.

 What are the biggest differences between the vata, pitta, and kapha products?

 Each dosha is made up of varying elements with varying qualities, therefore each dosha seeks balance through the opposing qualities of their elements. For example, vata is made up of the elements air + ether which together are cold, dry and light, therefore, vata is balanced through the opposing qualities of hot, moist and heavy. Pitta is made up of the elements fire + a little bit of water which together are hot, sharp and oily, therefore, pitta is balanced through the opposing qualities of cold, dull and dry. Kapha is made up of the elements earth + water which together are heavy, stable and moist, therefore, kapha is balanced through the opposing qualities of light, mobile and dry.

Each of our dosha specific products are formulated with this philosophy of elemental balance. Vata’s tend to have dry skin and are ungrounded in nature, therefore, our vata products are intended to provide moisture and stability. Pitta’s tend to have sensitive skin and are intense in nature, therefore, our pitta products are intended to provide cooling and soothing qualities. Kapha’s tend to have oily/congested skin and are heavy in nature, therefore, our kapha products are intended to provide astringent and uplifting qualities. When looking at the ingredients in each of our products, you will see that there are very different herbal ingredients used in each formulation based on that specific dosha’s needs.

After reading this, I hope that you have more interest in Ayurveda! It is truly one of the most incredible modes of healing I’ve come across and I believe that you will agree once you dive deeper into the products Paavani offers, as well as changing your diet to accommodate your dosha. The products that I tested out were: cinnamon pulling oil (LOVED IT!), floral water + clarifying serum (to aid in acne breakouts), vata body oil + pitta cleansing mask. I was given these products to deal with some acne I had and I can give them the stamp of approval!

With love,

Nikki

The post Best Ayurveda Products & Why I’m Loving Them appeared first on Nikki Sharp.

30 Things To Do In 30 Days In Coronavirus Quarantine

If you are reading this then more likely than not you are sitting at home wondering what you are going to do with your time if you are stuck at home. Depending on where you live, you might have been quarantined for days already or your town is just starting to enforce some house lockdowns. No matter where you are, just know that there will be good that comes out of this time as hard as it may seem. That is why I wanted to share a list of 30 Things To Do In 30 Days In Coronavirus Quarantine.

I wish I could tell you that it would be over sooner than that, but the truth is, we don’t know. And so rather than getting angry about it or drinking your way through the days, take to this time and bring some psotivie intentions and actions out of it. There is actually no better time than right now to do all the things you’ve been putting off. Whetherm it’s something healthy like getting to the gym more often or committing to a yoga practice, the world (or rather your house) is your oyster and you have no excuses.

Quarantine might look something like this: excitement day 1 and 2 of “yay, I get to be home, let’s make a quartantine martini,” which can then change to “I am soooooo bored and feel locked up,” by days 3-5. The rest will be history of how you choose to handle it. I put this list together of some of the best things that you could do for yourself to bring about positive change in your life, whenever this crazy/terrible/scary/sad/overwheleming epidemic ends.

My recommendation is that you read through the list and write down any that really spark your interest then commit to doing them. There truly is no time like the present as you may never be given this opportunity to focus on yourself. This list is quite in-depth and gives you options for self-development, learning, cleaning out the old, to bringing in the new.

Enjoy!

30 Things To Do In 30 Days In Coronavirus Quarantine

 

Start flossing your teeth daily. I know, I know, this might seem like a silly or strange thing to be on a list of things to do while you’re stuck at home. But what’s the biggest reason you haven’t been doing it? Most likely the lack of time, because you’ve been rushing out of the house in the morning and are too tired at night.
Foster an animal. There are shelters across America that are asking people to foster pets during the Coronavirus quarantine and what better time? These little fluff balls can give you an added sense of peace, happiness and keep you on a routine that you might not otherwise have. Check your local shelters to see if they are still open. (It’s recommended to do this sooner than later as much lockdowns are happening nationwide.)
Buy a bunch of plants and create an indoor park for yourself. Plants are known to help boost your  productivity, concentration and can enhance your mood through the oxygen they provide, which is vital for the body. The fresh air in your house can also help to prevent colds, not to mention they liven up any space.
Call or text people in your contact list, starting from top to bottom. There’s people who you probably haven’t talked to in years and what better time to reach out and say hi. This is a fun one to see who you can reconnect with, learn about their lives, share about yours, and send some positive love to others. If you come across a contact you don’t want to text or don’t like, skip to #28 on this list.
Start an online course. Overnight universities and online programs dropped their fees and are now offering free schooling. Yale has made one of their most popular courses ever free (The Science of Well Being), while you’re at it, have a look at the whole website. It’s the perfect time to learn something new and increase your skills, especially if you’re nervous about losing your job. If you’ve ever thought about writing your own book, check out my Book Masterclass, that will guide you through coming up with your idea to writing a kick ass book proposal.
Join an online yoga or fitness class and commit to it daily. Online fitness classes have been around for ages but most of us made excuses saying we don’t like working out at home. Well…now you’re home and there is nothing stopping you from keeping your fitness up. Many yoga studios are giving away free online memberships (especially if you are a current in-person student), or highly discounted rates. There’s classes on YouTube, or you could find one of the many influencers online that are doing daily IGTV videos. This will help keep your sanity during these times but also get you those abs and bubble butt you’ve been lusting after. Check out my personal favorite, Alexa Silvaggio (who I’ll also be partnering with in the coming week to teach you all things health and fitness every day).
Start your meditation practice. We know that mediation helps to reduce anxiety and can help to keep you in a state of peace which is especially needed in times like these. For my recommendations of what meditations to do, click here. There are apps like Calm, Headspace, and many others that will help keep you on track.
Watch inspiring and educational documentaries. Turn the news off which only leads to more uncertainty and fear and instead start to learn about history, famous people who have done incredible things, the economics of the world, sports… pretty much you name it, it’s there.
Rest. This might be the only time in your life that you’ll be given the opportunity to get the sleep your body needs. To really benefit from this, be sure to put your phone away at least 30 minutes before your bed, as the blue light from the screen can disrupt your REM sleep (that deep sleep that allows your body to regenerate itself).
Start a gratitude journal. In times of uncertainty, it’s incredibly important to keep a sense of calm and happiness and writing down all the things you are grateful for each day will help. Try to be as specific as possible and write down 3-5 things every single day. Gratitude logs have been proven to reduce stress and anxiety and keep you focusing on what you CAN control.
Plan your next vacation. It might be a while before you get to actually take it, but there is nothing better than visualizing and planning out what you want to do. Research has shown that visualization can actually help us to boost creativity, be able to tackle things that scare us with more confidence and  builds purpose in our lives.
Clean your entire house, top to bottom. This is a no-brainer. You’ve been putting off cleaning for a while because of your busy schedule. Now is the perfect time to do a deep cleaning, starting and finishing one room after another. A clean house will allow your mind to stay more calm with all the craziness going on.
Organize your closet. It’s the perfect time to start getting rid of things you no longer wear and keep only the things that inspire you. Begin with three piles, the absolute keep pile, the absolute go pile, and the maybe. Once you’ve gone through all your clothes, look at the maybe pile and if the clothes there are not an absolute yes to wearing again, then give it away. Donate it to a charity as people will be needing clothes during this time.
Watch (or rewatch) the 100 greatest movies of all time. Take the quiz to see how many you’ve seen and then start watching the rest; the is a reason these movies have been rated as the best of the best.
Dream up your perfect job. If you are one of the many Americans who sadly might lose their job during this time, then it’s time to write down what your dream job looks like. Start with what you would love to do, then  what your biggest passions are in life. Write down what you are really great at and can help others with. Finally write down what work you would do even if you didn’t get paid to do it (i.e. if you had enough money, what would you do out of passion). Come up with a list based on these of jobs you can look for or create one and start searching online. It’s a good idea to also look into industries that are thriving during this pandemic.
Learn a new (totally random) skill. You might not think coding ever sounded fun, but who knows, maybe you are incredibly good at it – and the good news is that websites aren’t going out of fashion. Think about things you’ve always wanted to do and never had time for.
Make a list of the people who have influenced you most in life and write them a note or letter, thanking them. This can be anyone from someone in your family such as your mom or dad, to a grandparent, a celebrity, or an important figure in history. Write down how they’ve impacted you, what you learned, and how you’ve become a better person from following their advice. If they are alive, send it. This could be the most heartwarming thing they see all year.
Iron your bed sheets. This one might sound strange, but there is something so satisfying about getting into a bed with freshly washed sheets that have also been ironed like a hotel bed. You’ll enjoy getting into bed each night and getting a restful sleep.
Get your 2019 taxes done. Like most, you’ve probably put have put this off until the last minute and luckily the government has given you an extension to July 15. But there’s no better time to get them done and hey, maybe even learn how to do them yourself while quarantined at home.
Dance every day. Movement in the body creates better coordination, flexibility, and can improve your cardiovascular health. The best part? No one will be watching as you bust a move and dance like it’s 1999.
Write down everything you want to do by the end of 2020. Dream big with everything from your finances to career, relationship, how you will look and feel. Then underline the items that you feel you can do or want to do (even if they feel out of reach) and come up with three action items for each of them. Choose one item to start with and begin with your first action item – no better time than the present to make your life amazing!
Commit to the healthy routine you never had time for. This could be meditating, doing yoga, going to bed earlier, writing in a journal, doing self care such as face or hair masks. Whatever it is, now is your chance to turn it into habit, after all, it takes 21 days to adopt a practice into a habit you might have a head start on this. Schedule it in your phone’s calendar for the same time every day and watch your life change.
Start body brushing daily. If you’ve battled cellulite or want to have softer skin then get yourself a body brush from Amazon (yes they are still shipping out home items) and start doing it before you get into the shower every day. The key is to brush in an upward motion starting from your feet towards your heart for roughly two minutes on the whole body. This also helps your  lymphatic system, which will be an added bonus if you’re stuck at home and not moving around too much. Watch this video to learn more.
Stock up on good books and commit to finishing one a week. Instead of binge watching TV all day, every day, get yourself a great book and grow your mind. Some of my favorites are The Signature of All Things, The Power of Now, The Alchemist. Not into reading books alone? Join a book club which you can find online by searching Facebook or Meetup.com.
Learn how to cook delicious meals at home. You’ll never have another opportunity like this to learn how to cook for yourself or your family. Been saving recipes on IG or cutting them out of magazines? Try them now. If you’re looking to learn meals or want to detox your body check out this book, and if you would like to lose some weight while at home get this one.
Binge listen to some incredible podcasts. The best thing about podcasts is you can listen while doing laundry or cleaning your house, going for a walk, or relaxing on the couch. A few episodes I recommend: ‘How to Sustain Your Motivation‘ by Jim Kwik, “3 Ways to Deal with Loneliness & Healthy Social Distancing’ by Jay Shetty, ‘Do you ever feel like a fraud?’ by Tony Robbins. I also recommend listening to an interview I recently did where I talk about the benefits of the quarantine, spiritual lessons of the coronavirus and how to mentally deal with it – ‘Nikki Sharp: Nutrition and Mental Health Tips for Boosting Your Immune System During Quarantine‘ by Andrew Gabelic, the creator of Teledipity.
Write down a list of what is most important to you during this time. Yes, it’s an incredibly frustrating time to be going through, but if you can stay positive on what is most important than you’re more likely to keep your sanity and come out on top. Whatever the top three things are of the utmost importance, then focus your time and attention on those (beneficial things and actions of course) and let the rest go. If you can’t control it now or it won’t affect you in this moment, then redirect your attention to what you can and should do for yourself.
Go through your phone book and delete old contacts. I know, I know, this might seem a bit silly, but when you take a moment to look through it do you really need that person that you’ve had programmed in for the last 10 years that you’ve never called? You’ll start to see that when you clear out old things, such as contacts, clothes you don’t wear, bathroom products that are empty, you have space for so much more.
Get outside and enjoy nature. Currently, you are still allowed to go outside although we have the stay-at-home restrictions. Utilize this and enjoy the fresh air, flowers coming up for spring, take photos, go for runs and hikes. Being in nature is one of the most beneficial things for your body and mind, reducing stress and anxiety, while providing clean air to your lungs.
Write love letters to yourself. When was the last time that you really took a moment to thank yourself or show appreciation for all that you’ve done? Take out a piece of paper, address it to yourself either now or at a previous age and start to shower yourself in love. It might seem cliche and funny to do, but this is the inner self work that will help you to show up with more love and compassion for your own body and mind. Doing this simple exercise can help to reduce anxiety, depression and judgement you have on your life – and truly, there is no better time to do it than now.

 

I hope you enjoyed the 30 Things To Do In 30 Days In Coronavirus Quarantine list. I’d love to know what you try from this or anything you would add. Leave a comment below!

Xoxo,

Nikki

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15 IMMUNE-BOOSTING FOODS TO HELP PREVENT THE CORONAVIRUS

You’ve heard it since you were a child, “eat your fruits and vegetables,” and most likely with dismay you ate the brussels sprouts or broccoli that your parents gave you. While you may not have lived your life adhering to the rules they taught, or what you’ve read about being healthy, now it’s more important than ever to focus on your body and putting the right foods in it. That’s why I wanted to share with you 15 immune-boosting foods to help prevent the coronavirus.

We are in a strange time right now. There’s fear, uncertainty, anxiety, excitement about being home, lack of clarity of how serious the situation is… and so much more. At the end of the day, we can all agree on one thing – no one knows how bad the Coronavirus is, and how much worse it will get.

That’s why I wanted to share with you these top 15 immune-boosting foods, because now is the time that you absolutely must be prioritizing your health.

Let me preface this with, yes, I know the grocery stores are out of just about every single item you could imagine, including many on this list. Please do not fret over this though, as the government has made it known that there is enough food and it’s just a matter of keeping them stocked. You will be able to find these at some point, so just keep going to your local grocery store. My tips to navigating the supermarket:

Go later at night, foods have been restocked and there are not as many people there
Find the local stores that you wouldn’t normally shop at, such as mom and pop convenience stores as they tend to have many items
Barter with a friend, joking but also serious

You might feel like telling me, “ Nikki you can’t say these foods prevent the coronavirus.” To which I will respond, it’s been already shown in the media that if you are healthy with a strong immune system, you have incredibly low chances of getting the virus. And how do we get a healthy immune system? By eating the right foods! (That of course mixed with getting enough rest and keeping stress levels low, but that will be a blog post for another day).

So without further ado my beautiful friends, let me share the foods you absolutely should be eating right now and tips on how to incorporate them into your diet.

15 IMMUNE-BOOSTING FOODS TO HELP PREVENT THE CORONAVIRUS

LEMON. The juice of one medium size lemon provides 50% of daily vitamin C recommended, which can aid in supporting the immune system and boosting seratonin, which can decrease when battling a virus. Add freshly squeezed lemon to warm water first thing in the morning, put it into a jug of water and sip throughout the day or add to salad dressings.
ORANGES. Also high in vitamin C, oranges can help reduce the severity of symptoms and lower the duration you are sick. Best when eaten fresh versus store bought, as many have added sugar that can increase the length of a cold or flu.
SPINACH. Boost your immune system with this nutrient rich vegetable that is high in vitamin C and E, as well as calcium and iron. The darker the color of fruit or vegetable, the better chance of warding off any flu or cold. Eat raw in salads, blend into smoothies, or sauté with a dash of olive oil. You can also freeze raw spinach to make it last longer.
WATER. We lose fluids when sick and staying hydrated helps to reduce the length of time you feel low, as well as replenish any fluid lost during sweating. Aim for 1L of water per day, especially when sick. If you don’t like the taste, brew up teas, add a teaspoon of honey per cup, or add a dash of freshly squeezed lemon for extra health benefits.
BROCCOLI. High in vitamins C, an E, as well as fiber and calcium, broccoli is a powerhouse vegetable that helps your body to fight off infection. If you don’t have much of an appetite, eat simple foods such as potato, bananas, oranges, and rice, then add steamed, sautéed or roasted broccoli when your digestion feels better.
CHAMOMILE TEA. Used for centuries to aid in sleep, this can be used daily to help your body rest and recover, one of the most important things if you feel you are getting sick or trying to avoid it.
GARLIC. This powerful superfood has been used to ward off illnesses, fight infections, and help treat wounds by enhancing immune cell function. Take garlic supplements, slice and sauté into a pan with vegetables, roast in the oven then blend into soups, or juice it raw. (Your partner might not want to be near you, but viruses and symptoms won’t stick around!)
RAW HONEY. Known for it’s anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, it can also help soothe a sore throat. Add 1 tsp into chamomile tea and sip.
BERRIES. Rich in flavonoids, a type of antioxidants in blueberries, can help you prevent flu and colds before they even start. One of the most nutrient rich foods available, add to your diet in smoothies, on top of yogurts or oatmeals, or eaten as a snack.
BROTH. Whether you want vegetable, miso, bone, or chicken broth the choice is yours. The important thing to remember is it helps prevent dehydration and the warmth of the soup or broth can alleviate sore throats and warm the body up if you feel chills.
BANANA. It’s easy on the digestive system, making it one of the few foods that can be consumed with ease when you’re not feeling well. Bananas are rich in potassium, which needs to be replenished if you have sweats, as well as vitamins C and B6.
EGGS. High in vitamin D, which is known to help improve immunity, eggs can help prevent a cold when eaten every day. Opt for organic/pastured eggs to ensure the best quality for your body, which helps you to receive more benefits of this food.
TOMATOES. Rich in a vibrant red color, tomatoes contain lycopene which is essential for the body’s lymphatic system. Also high in vitamin C, they can help increase your body’s immune health.
OATMEAL. A warm bowl of oatmeal can be just what the doctor ordered when you’re feeling low. Oats are high in vitamin E and contain fiber that helps move everything through the body, helping you avoid both diarrhea and constipation. Buy oatmeal that has oats as the only ingredient.
GINGER. If your grocery store still has ginger, stock up. It lasts forever and can be grated into salad dressings, stir fries with vegetables, sliced and boiled with water for ginger tea, or juiced for a ginger shot. Ginger is one of the most anti-inflammatory ingredients out there, boosting your immunity by lowering the inflammation caused when you get sick and decreasing feelings of nausea.

 

Now, this list by no means that other fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes should NOT be eaten. Think of it this way, if it came from the earth (i.e. was actually grown in the soil, on a tree, or in a bush) then you should be eating it. If it is vibrant and colorful naturally, you should be eating it. If there is only one ingredient found in it, you should eat it.

Staying healthy and safe my loves.

 

Xoxo,

N

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Top Meditations To Reduce Anxiety

My loves, we are all going through a bizarre time in history with the Coronavirus epidemic and it’s important to remember that you are in control of your own thoughts. With so much uncertainty a lot of fears will be coming up and just know this is natural. However, you can help control your own emotions during this time and that is why I wanted to share my top meditations to reduce anxiety.

When it comes to meditating, there are many different forms and so I encourage you not to get caught up in the amount of time you must spend doing it. Rather, focus on the benefits you will get from it. Meditations can come in the form of watching a lit candle, which helps you to focus the mind on one thing (active meditation) all the way to sound healings where you lay back and let the music wash over you (passive meditations).

I’ll be sharing my top meditations to reduce anxiety below in all different formats and lengths for you to test out which one works for you, broken into categories. I hope you enjoy them and find more peace in your life starting today!

top meditations to reduce anxiety

Sleep Meditations. These are perfect to put on at night while going to sleep. They affect your deeper subconscious, helping you to relax and get a deeper sleep without needing to do anything else but drift off into dreamland.

 

 

 

10 Minute Meditations. For those who haven’t meditated often or find it hard to do, these are easy to follow and highly effect to calm the nervous system down and instil calmness.

 

Active Meditations. These include deep breathing, movement, and staring at a candle. I’m including one on youtube for the candle meditation that you can do, or practice it with a candle in front of you at eye level that you stare at. Each time you blink, keep your eyes closed for a moment then re-open your eyes and look at the candle.

 

Passive Meditations. If you are needing some deep relaxation, these are the ones to try. They include yoga nidra and soul baths which will put you into a complete state of peace.

21 Day Meditation. I love Deepak Chopra and have found committing to the 21 days a highly beneficial thing one to do.

The post Top Meditations To Reduce Anxiety appeared first on Nikki Sharp.

Chakra and Crystal Healing in Bali

My beauties,

I get asked ALL the time about healers in Bali and who do I recommend. Honestly, I feel like I need to write a book about this place because after visiting 6x and living here the past four months, there’s a LOT to share. Please let me know what other things you’d like me to write about Bali. And read this post on Your Biggest Bali Questions Answered. That being said… I was recommended to go see a healer in Canggu who does Chakra and Crystal healing. The post below is a bit different than my normal one (READ: IT’S LONG), but it has come straight out of the book I’m writing of my travels for the past year, and so it’s a bit more story telling.

Please note that this is a VERY VERY personal post and I’m sharing things I never have. It’s unfiltered and I haven’t changed anything. 

I’ll share the healers details at the bottom should you find yourself in Bali and want a whole Eat Pray Love transformation!

Chakra and Crystal Healing in Bali

It’s December 31 and I am going to have a chakra and crystal healing. I figured this was a beautiful way to bring in the New Year, by releasing the old and calling in new. The thing about healers (myself being one of them), is that they don’t do the work, they only guide you to see what you need to do yourself. It can be a hard but beautiful journey, and is totally worth it!

It’s 8.45am and I get on my scooter, driving about seven minutes from my house to her shop. It’s funny because I’ve actually driven past it a ton of times and know of it well because it’s a shop that has loads of trees and plants and a big sign saying ‘crystal collection for the soul’ with a white background and loads of crystal pictures on it. My girlfriend Celine has recommended her, and then Bridget (another gf of ours) went to see her, saying absolutely incredible things. As I park the bike she walks up and asks if my name is Nikki. Yes, she reaches out her hand, pleasure to meet you. “My name is Ayu.”

She is dressed in a green and white sarong, baby blue shirt with very soft material, that drapes over her shoulders. Her hair is pulled back, no makeup, and grey eyes that are very beautiful and soft. Her face is full, clear skin, and a warm smile. She takes me back through the garden to her little outdoor room which over looks the rice fields. I look at all the crystals she has as she explains which ones are for what chakra, that she will be putting them all over your body, seeing what chakras are blocked.

I lay down the spa style table and she puts each little crystal on different areas of my body, starting from my third eye, to my throat, my heart, my stomach, my pubic bone, then puts one in my right hand and left hand. They go next to my shoulders near my neck, around my body and legs. I didn’t realize actually how many crystals were all over me, but there are tons of smaller ones on my stomach, in between my legs and on carious places on the bed.

After this, she uses a pendulum over each chakra to see which one is blocked and which is clear. Crown chakra, fine, and strong. Third eye, not blocked and strong. Throat chakra, blocked a bit, there’s something i’m holding on to. Heart chakra, very blocked. Solar plexus, blocked. Sex chakra, balanced. Root chakra, blocked. So four out of seven chakras are blocked: throat, heart, solar plexus, root. This seems about right.

Next, she guides me through a relaxation, which goes quickly as there is light spa style music in the background, mixed with running water. As I am going into this meditative state, I realize my mind is pretty busy and so I begin focusing on all the external sounds. This is one of the best ways to get out of the thinking mind. You focus on each sound you can hear, what direction it is coming from, then moving on to the next. I hear the music playing, the running water. The trees are rustling with the light breeze. As we are near the main road, there are cars and motor cycles, with the occasional super loud one whizzing past. I try to determine what direction it is coming from and going into. I hear her clinging two chimes together, which makes a beautiful sound that resonates deep in my ears.

Then I move on to all the sensations I feel. Such as the wind on my skin, the crystals on different parts of my body. I can feel the occasional ant walking on my skin to the flies landing on me. I feel my clothes on my body, and the bed underneath me that I’m laying on.

As I’m in a deeper state now, I call into what I want to let go of and leave behind in 2019. That which no longer serves me. Immediately, almost the first thing that comes to mind is that I am angry at the men in my life. I’m angry at my father, at Efe, and at Ben. I ask to let this go. Silently in my mind I say I want to let go of not feeling like I’m good enough or have done enough in my business this year. I want to let go of not treating my body with the respect it deserves, with too many external things that aren’t good for me. I ask to let go of jealously, and other negative emotions. Doing this exercise i realize that i have been holding on to a lot of negative emotions.

I then switched gears to what I am calling in for 2020. I silently said I’m calling in to make $15,000 a month. To find a place in a LA that I love and can cook and feel secure and happy in (more on this later!). To find love that inspires me every day. I am calling in helping others grow their brand and to be of service a lot. I am calling in more love. And then it kind of stopped. i realize that I wasn’t really able to call in much more. I felt a block, and part of this is because I have found it different to plan out my year when i feel everything is predetermined for me. So when others put out 1,3,5 year plans, I struggle to because i am so consciously aware that my life is not really being lived by me, rather my soul has pre-determined much of it. Either way, there was some sort of block. Maybe the chakra and crystal healing is working?

And then the monkey mind kicks in…

My mind is racing at this point with things I should do, need to do, want to do, that i want to message Ben. The funny thing is that as I type this, I dont actually remember much of what was going through my mind. I just know that there was a lot of thoughts and i was aware of how active my monkey mind was.

She is now playing the singing bowl and it’s beautiful. I feel a sense of peace, although my mind won’t shut up. One thing I am very good at is time. I have this innate sense of time and can tell how long I’ve been there. Not to the minute, but I am aware that I’ve been laying here for over an hour and some change. The session is supposed to go on for about 75 minutes max, and we’ve definitely hit this. I’m almost starting to get bored at this point and I realize how much I love action. I like healing sessions that guide me to do something. I’m starting to think about the things I will do in the car ride to Ubud. Because of the perceived time, I know that i will no longer have time to go get a green juice which I really wanted, nor will I be able to get my coffee, and it will be a bit of a rush to pack my back for Ubud, leave my bike and get the car. I am understanding that it’s a very masculine quality I have, to always want to do and go. Maybe the lesson now is to just BE. I am very good at being in one sense, and terrible in another. I love to challenge the mind, to grow, to find solutions and implement them. Part of the feminine that I’m learning to tap into more is the sense of not needing to go anywehere, do anything. To just be here in the now. Presence.

So I try to calm the mind and be totally present, knowing that everything will flow exactly as it’s meant to. That if I am meant to be here for longer than 75 minutes, the universe has decided this and that things will work out as they will. So I let go of the upcoming potential stress of getting it all ‘done.’

She is no longer playing the singing bowl (or so I think, but maybe she still is, at this point I dont really know), rather I believe she is lightly singing and moving around different parts of the table. As my eyes are closed i’m not really sure what was going on. Finally the healing finishes and she begins to take the crystals off. With my eyes still closed to takes the pendulum to go over each chakra again.

My heart chakra…oh no…

Crown chakra, balanced and very strong, third eye, balanced and also very strong. Throat chakra, balanced. At this point I think, if she says all the chakras are balanced I might feel it’s BS, because then i dont really believe anything happened. But then she gets to my heart and swings the pendulum for quite a while, saying nothing. She stops and starts again. She says it’s still blocked and asks me what am I holding on to.

I tell her that I am very sad about my ex (Ben) who left and didn’t tell me and I’m having a hard time accepting it as well as getting over the anger of it. And this is were the real healing starts. Not to mention the tears.

I explain that it was less than two weeks ago that he just up and left Bali, telling everyone else but me, and has not spoken to me since. She asks how long we were together. I say three months, but it was a deep soul connection. She then asks what happened the last time we spoke, before he left. I explain that a family friend died (not immediate family) and he asked me to come over and I wouldn’t. Her immediate resction, almost before i finished sharing (eyes still closed at this point), is to ask why i didn’t go over there when he needed it. I’m a bit taken aback and get on the defensive a bit. I tell her that i felt like i gave him everything. That i was on the other side of the world and he asked for space, which i gave. that when he wanted to talk, i was there. when he was in financial trouble, i helped. that i paused my work often to help him with his, to write his proposals, to come in on his business deals. and that on the last night, i was exhausted. i had been driving to his house constantly and had just gotten home. that i did not want to get on my bike again in that moment. I felt drained in all senses.

Her response was that if i loved him, i would have gone. at this point tears are streaming down my face because i clearly didn’t do something that he needed, but also i am angry that it was always relying on me to give. I share that i was frustrated in that moment because he has said some very rude things to me about business and insulting me, and took back an apology, then just expected me to come over. I was frustrated to have given so much over our short relationship and that I pretty much allowed myself to feel taken advantage of. She shares that as love, we must show up for love with others, always. I get this, i really do, but then there are times that i get angry that i feel it’s always me showing up as the bigger person, giving more love, doing the right thing, and others get a pass. This has felt like it my whole life.

We move on to my dad, where i say i still have some anger towards him because he’s always asking me to say sorry to his wife, to send her messages when i’ve done nothing wrong. and i dont get why i need to do this when she has really made it a point to make it known that she hates me. Ayu states its just jealousy. Yes… I know. But why must I constantly do this? I always do it though. I always show up and send these messages, with absolute intention of love, because of my love for my dad.

She is now saying that i chose my family before i was born. Yes, i know. That i am paying some sort of karma because of ben, and the relationship with my paretns. i know. And the more she says about showing up with love with no expectation of anything in return, all i can say is that I do that. I really do believe i’m one fo the most generous people because of this. I give things to people, never even needing a thank you in response. because i do them in order to help someone who needs it. I’ve never asked for a message back from my dads wife, i never once asked ben back the money i gave him. i never will. and i share this with her, that i have a hard time because of this reason. that i am such a giver, and then end up feeling taken advantage of at times. that i allow this to happen. oh goodness. this chakra and crystal healing is kicking my butt.

You must be love, always

Her response is that i must keep being love, and that the more love i give, the more i will receive. This is the point where I am really crying now. I say, I’m a healer, much like an oracle in a sense, and i know you understand this. I just want to be human sometimes. I want to be able to be treated as other humans are and not have to constantly be the sage who is giving advice, that people come to. i know i choose this life and that i’m grateful, but can’t i just be human once in a while.

She fully gets this. Her hands are on my heart, she moves them around my head, touching me softly, holding my shoulders. i know she understands what i’m saying. Her response is along the lines of, if I focus on my love, giving it to others, it will always come back to me, even greater. And that by still being angry with my dad, although i say I do everything with love for him, means that there is still a blocked energy in my heart. That i should send her the energy i have, so she can match my energy, the same with my father. Don’t just send her love, but my father as well. Because when we send others our energetic vibes, it helps to elevate them and we benefit because they become at a higher vibration; kinder, more loving, essentially the people we want them to be.

It takes a lot of courage to do this though, because deep down we actually want people to suffer, because they have caused us pain. But true love is to help rise others to your level, to remove their suffering. And i fully understand this. I guess I still had some blocks after Ben leaving and the same old shit with my dad asking me to text his wife. But in reality, it’s true. He is asking me to send her sweet messages to help remove her suffering. It is absolutely hard being at a higher consciousness than a lot of people, because it means that you have to be the person to always send out love, to give from your cup. Which means your cup better be full! And clearly I’ve been neglecting myself for a bit. I realized this during the session actually, that Canggu has been a bit of a destruction zone for me. I didn’t treat myself with the same love and care that I do when I’m in ubud. I stopped meditating, doing yoga, and instead drank too much, went out, didn’t eat as healthy as i enjoy.

We talk about my mom, and my ex Efe, and the same principle applies to them. Send them love. Help rise their vibration. I’m more calm at this point.

And then she asks, do you miss him? Do you want Ben back?

The tears start pouring down my cheeks. Yes. I miss him terribly. Yes. I want to have him back in my life.

And so she says, don’t message him now. Instead, talk to the universe. Call out his name and tell him that you miss him. Speak it into existence with the universe. Share how grateful you are for him and that you want him back in your life. That you want to talk to him. That you miss him. Do this with all the love I have, sending him love. That if i do this, he will message me in the new year. I will be shocked when i receive a text from him, but it’s because I’m sending out positive intention. She tells me i need to stop saying all the things I did for him and instead focus on my love for him.

Point taken.

What a way to bring in 2020

At this point she continues with her chakra and crystal healing and goes over the rest of my chakras with her pendulum, which are all unblocked, then has me sit up, open my eyes, then she gets water, blesses it and hands it to me to drink. We keep talking about Ben and how I realize I was a mirror for him. That many of the things he got upset about were because it was a mirror of where he was not yet at. We are all mirrors to one another.

The conversation lasts a few more minutes and then I must go. We hug and she welcomes me back any time, and to message her if anything comes up. she thinks it’s a great idea that i’m going to ubud to do yoga and meditate. She tells me to touch the ground each day and say my name three times. That the Balinese do this to connect mother earth to father spirit, which grounds you as the human between them both. I will remember to do this as I get to Ubud.

I walk back to my bike feeling all the emotions. I’m so grateful I came and clearly there is still the biggest work to be done in my heart. I do get frustrated being so in-touch with the ether world and that I must always be the bigger person, but in reality, my life is pretty amazing because of this. I do feel more connected, calm, in touch with myself and others. I dont get frustrated about little things like i used to. I understand what love is so clearly now and i just look forward to really bring about a more healthy, happy, and connected version of myself to 2020.

And there you have it…

Whew. It feels a bit scary to share that all with you, but there we go. As you read, it was a pretty powerful and intense experience, and one that I am SO grateful to have had. I mentioned this before, but this is part of a book that I’ve been writing for the past year since moving to Paris.

Now, I’m sure you’re interested in her details – so here they are. When you message her (WhatsApp only!) mention you’re a friend of mine. And yes, I did ask if she wanted me to share her details with you all, she said PLEASE! The price was 500,000 rupiah cash, however this is subject to change as she gets busier!

Ayu, chakra and crystal healing in Canggu, Bali

+62 812 3811 252 (whatsapp only)

With love,

Nikki

PS – let me know if you like this style of post. I’m finally starting to feel more motivated with blogging again (part of the reason I wasn’t doing so much is because I was writing this book), and would love to know if you like this story telling vibe, or a bit more of the how-to/help posts.

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