Categories > Women’s Health

Beginning Anew

In Vietnamese, we say, ” Chúc Mừng Năm Mới! “

The lunar year begins anew bringing Water Rabbit energy (or Water Cat energy in the Vietnamese zodiac).

I love lunar new year activities & how they carry meaning & intention for beginning anew. We often look at the new year with hope, making resolutions & promises for improvement.

As the new year is an opportunity to begin anew – so is every moment. Each present moment is like none before & it’s an opportunity to start fresh.

The Seeds Within Us

Everything within us can be viewed as a seed. In this way, we can see that our inner seeds of joy, peace, happiness, as well as depression, anger & jealousy, etc… all arise through being nourished in some way.

With all of these seeds within us, we see that some are bigger than others. Most of them are watered more often by habit energies.

What seeds within us have we been habitually watering & what other seeds are available for us to water instead?

If we see that our physical body, thoughts & emotions all exist through nutriment, perhaps we have more choice in what we nourish & how.  

Everything that we take in can be viewed as either nourishing or depleting. The foods we eat, the sense impressions we take in (sounds, sights, sensations through touch, smells). Even our motivations can be either nourishing or depleting. Stopping to become aware of the underlying motivations to our speech & actions, which can also arise from habit energy creates space for us to water a new seed of motivation.

Watering Seeds for the Lunar New Year

Here’s a practice to help you intentionally water seeds for the new year:

• Make a list of all of the things in your life that are currently nourishing to you.
  
  
• Make a list of all of the things in your life that are depleting to you.
  
  
• Make a concrete plan to remove the depleting activities & prioritize making time & space for that which is nourishing.

May we all begin anew beautifully in this new lunar year!

More Mindfulness

To learn more ways to bring mindfulness into your life & to support your fertility journey, check out @mindfulnessforfertility or mindfulnessforfertility.com

Our next online program begins Jan 30^th, we hope to see you then!

Mindful eating is an ancient Chinese medicine secret to optimal health & longevity. We believe that it’s a shame to eat healthy food if the body is unable to absorb nutrients properly.

Today’s scientists agree that if we’re able to slow down & be present with food, we can benefit more from what we eat.

Mindful eating is about appreciating food rather than restricting it. It involves being present with our food to decrease stress.

Mindful Eating Decreases Stress & Increases Absorption

Studies confirm that stress negatively affects our digestion by disrupting GI tract movement, absorption, inflammation & bacterial counts. Stress can also lead to many digestive disorders.

We live such fast-paced lives, eating becomes an auto-pilot activity. We tend to multi-task as we eat – while working or driving, surfing the internet, or checking for text messages. Our minds are busy doing one thing, while our bodies are doing another thing.

Research shows that avoiding distraction while eating increases the body’s absorptive capacity. Being present with the flavours & textures of our food rather than multi-tasking while eating allows the body to focus its attention on digesting.

Here are some mindful eating tips:  

• Be intentional – try to choose a location that is meant for eating when you eat.

• Simply eat. Avoid multi-tasking while you’re eating.

• Chew thoroughly. Make sure each bite is well-chewed before swallowing it. Aim for 25-30 bites.

• Place your fork or spoon down in between bites as you chew.

• Pay attention to the colour, texture, aroma & flavours of the first 5 bites of a meal.

• Try to feel grateful for your food. Studies have shown that feeling gratitude also decreases depression.

• Please enjoy your food!

Mindfulness Programs

Did you know that research shows mindfulness-based programs for fertility decrease emotional distress & increase resilience? We know what a roller coaster it can be.

Join us for our next Online Mindfulness for Fertility program beginning January 30^th  

Find more info and registration at mindfulnessforfertility.com

References

• PMID: 28900385
• PMID: 3582919
• PMID: 27786519
• PMID: 23809500

Is your fertility stress worse over the holiday season? Do holiday family gatherings, kid-centric activities and increased financial burden amplify the difficult emotions and loss that you are feeling?

Studies show that the stress associated with infertility is significant – comparable to the stress associated with illnesses like cancer and HIV.

We know the sting of having to deal with infertility is increased over the holiday season.

Join us for our special holiday event to help support you with your infertility holiday stress.

We are partnering with Edmonton’s newest IVF clinic, that is set to open its doors in the new year!

Register Here by email

Infertility Holiday Stress Clinic

We are teaming up with the following fertility specialists to offer you this event as part of our December Charitable Menstrual Pad Drive:

• Dr. Ariana Daniel, Reproductive Endocrinologist from Alberta Reproductive Centre
• Caroline Andersen, Fertility Psychologist
• Alberta Associates of Obstetrics & Gynecology (at Kingspointe Medical)

• What:
  1. Community acupuncture treatment to relieve stress
  2. Information and tools on how to deal with your infertility stress
  3. Submit questions for an anonymous patient-led Q&A with:
  • Dr. Ariana Daniels, Reproductive Endocrinologist
  • Caroline Andersen, Fertility Psychologist
  • WFH Fertility Acupuncturists

• When:Sunday, December 11
  1 – 2:30pm

• Where:
  Kingspointe Medical (Alberta Associates of Obstetrics & Gynecology)
  11230 110 St NW
  Edmonton, AB

• Cost:
  By donation!
  
  Please bring an unused menstrual product donation.
  
  All donations will go to No Period Without, a non-profit organization that advocates to end period poverty in Edmonton.
  
  Since 2017, No Period Without has provided over 40,000 menstrual hygiene products to those in need.

• Registration:
  Contact us to register.
  Space is limited!
  
  *Please note that masks will be required.
  (Masks will be provided for participants, if they require one.)

Register Here by email

What is Neuroplasticity

90% of the Brain’s activity occurs beneath conscious awareness. Even though it may seem that we have control over how we think, feel & behave, we often get swept away by strong emotion & react in ways that automatically occur out of unconscious habit. 

Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to change & grow. The brain is continually reshaped by our life experiences & our thoughts. How we focus our awareness determines which networks in the brain become strong & which ones become weak & lost.

Mindfulness & Neuroplasticity

So the more we worry, the better we become at worrying. But if we practice being calm, clear & focused, then we increase our capacity to settle our mind & nervous system. This allows us to take information in with more clarity, accuracy & objectivity, enabling us to manage challenging situations more skilfully.

When we cultivate our mindfulness skills, we still experience negative feelings, but mindfulness actually rewires the brain and strengthens the neural pathways for resilience. It helps us to be less reactive to stressors, to manage and recover more quickly from stress, and to decrease the negative impacts of chronic stress on our bodies. 

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

MBSR is an intensive 8-week, once weekly, group program developed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn and associates at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1979. It is now an internationally acclaimed program with a growing body of research supporting its psycho-physiological benefits. 

It is also used as a standard in studies researching the benefits of Mindfulness, including (but not limited to) reduction of inflammation and stress, and increase in immunity. 

Through practical training in mindfulness, cognitive behavioural and self-regulation skills, participants learn to cultivate a different relationship with stress and to develop skillful and healthy strategies in response to challenging situations. 

Upcoming Program

Monday evenings
Sep 12 – Nov 14

Join us for this fall’s 9-week program with Hannah Marsh and Dr. Alda Ngo, who are both Certified MBSR Facilitators with the Centre for Mindfulness Studies.

This will be a highly interactive web-based program using Zoom.

REGISTER HERE

WHEN

Mandatory Orientation:
Monday, September 12th
5:45 – 8:30pm PT | 6:45 – 9:30pm MT

8 weekly classes:
Mondays, Sep 19 – Nov 14 (No class October 31)
5:45 – 8:15pm PT | 6:45 – 9:15pm MT

Day of Mindfulness Retreat:
Sunday, Oct 30
8:30am – 1:30pm PT | 9:30am-2:30pm MT

WHO

This psycho-educational program is suitable for anyone looking for practical tools to deal with chronic stress and its negative impacts on the body as well as to improve their overall health and well-being.

COST 

Sliding Scale* $325 – $400 – 475 + GST

*Please pay more, if you can, to help support those less able to pay.

Accessibility is important to us, scholarships are also available to those for whom cost is a barrier.
Please contact us for more information: hannah@beinghere.ca

Cancellation policy

Cancellations received prior to the first session (Sep 19th) will be refunded minus a $100 processing fee. No refunds will be issued after that date. 

We reserve the right to cancel this program due to unforeseen circumstances; if this should occur, registrants will be granted full refunds.

REGISTER HERE

Registration Deadline: Monday, September 5th

In honour of National Breastfeeding Week, we want to acknowledge the immense journey of breast & chest feeding mamas and parents.

However you feed your baby is best, and for National Breastfeeding Week we see you and acknowledge what an important job it is.

The journey of breast/chest feeding can be fraught with difficulties, especially in the beginning. One of the most common sentiments of new parents is that they wish they would have known how challenging this part of parenting can be.

Keeping your brand new family member fed for 24 hours of the day is more than a full time job. I usually tell my patients that during this time, their only job is to keep baby nourished while everyone else nourishes them.

I recommend that my patients get supremely comfy, get a good series of books on a Kindle or Kobo (think easy to hold with one hand), very large water bottles full of water and electrolytes, tons of one handed, nutritious snacks, and to simply surrender to the special slowness of this stage of life.

Another thing that I recommend to all of my patients is that they have an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant on their team. I also urge my patients that if something is feeling wrong – such as pain or lack of milk supply – to not wait to give their lactation consultant a call. IBCLC’s are experts on all things breastfeeding and have the knowledge to make a major impact on a family’s nursing journey.

Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, Acupuncture and Moxibustion can also be very helpful in the early days for the following issues:

♡ clogged ducts

♡ mastitis

♡ low supply

♡ candida infections

♡ Raynaud’s of the nipples

If you would like to learn more about how we can help you with your journey, contact us for a free 15 minute consultation.

photo: @joinpartum @kashafierceeee

Catherine’s Story

After 2 full years of nursing my daughter, I finally felt ready to let go of this intimate stage of our relationship. We prepared her for months and used the book Booby Moon by Yvette Reid (highly recommended!)

When the moment was right, we let the milk magic fly back up to grandmother moon, so that other babies can have milk. It was a beautiful process.

And then, about 3 days after our last milk, I felt uncontrollably weepy. I was happy about the transition and excited to have my bodily autonomy back, but I just couldn’t stop crying.

Luckily, I was expecting this – when I researched what to expect with weaning, I found something surprising that I have never heard of- post weaning depression.

What is Post-Weaning Depression

During the nursing relationship with our children, our body is awash with oxytocin – the love hormone.

Not only do we lose a piece of our identity and a special phase with our child when we wean, but we also lose the plethora of feel good oxytocin that has been rushing through our systems.

Typically, post weaning depression doesn’t last long, but it is very helpful to be prepared.

How to Ease Post-Weaning Depression

To help ease through this transition, anything that boosts oxytocin will help. (‘feel good’ sensation in your body)

Also, any time there is a transition, it helps to incorporate some kind of ceremony to mark the rite of passage to help bring closure to the spiritual / emotional aspect of the change.

Here are some things that I did that helped to ease the sadness of weaning:

♡ tons of extra cuddles with my toddler

♡ extra cuddles with my husband and my cats

♡ I offered some of my milk back to the earth in thanks for this amazing resource

♡ I took my expired freezer stash and had a beautiful milk bath with flowers and candles and let myself experience the full range of emotions

♡ I didn’t suppress any of the emotions and instead allowed myself to experience them fully

♡ gave everyone in my life a heads up that I am experiencing depression

♡ acupuncture -helps boost oxytocin and helps to rebalance and bring a sense of calm

Did you experience post weaning depression? What helped you through it?

Contact us for more information on how we can support you on your wellness journey through fertility, parenthood and beyond.

image: @ashleyrandlephotography

Acupuncture has become a commonly sought out resource for people going through IVF fertility treatment.

When you see a Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner for fertility support, they take more into account than just your reproductive organs. Your practitioner looks at your whole body and how the interconnected systems may be out of balance to support your entire body and self. Treatments are specific to each person’s needs.

Whole system Traditional Chinese Medicine (WS-TCM) can include acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, dietary support, advice on supplementation with nutraceuticals, and lifestyle support. 

Whole System Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and IVF Research

In a 2015 retrospective cohort study published in Reproductive Biomedicine Online, 1231 IVF patient records were reviewed to assess the effects of adjuvant WS-TCM on IVF outcomes compared among three groups:

1. people who had Whole Systems TCM treatment with IVF (WS-TCM group)
2. people who had 1 acupuncture treatment on the day of embryo transfer with IVF (acu-group)
3. people who had no additional treatment with IVF (usual care group)

Among 1069 non-donor cycles reviewed, the WS-TCM group was associated with greater odds of live birth (61.3%) compared with the acu-group (50.8%) and the usual care group (48.2%).

There was also a lower rate of spontaneous miscarriages in the WS-TCM group compared with the other 2 groups. However there was no significant difference between the three groups in terms of biochemical or ectopic pregnancies.

Among 162 donor cycles, WS-TCM was associated with increased live births at 85.7%, compared with 59% in the acu-group and 62.5% in the usual care group.

This study shows a correlation between an increased number of acupuncture treatments (11-12 treatments) and greater odds of live birth. This suggests that a combined approach of WS-TCM treatment before starting IVF with the two treatments on the day of embryo transfer acupuncture may be an optimal intervention to improve IVF birth outcomes in addition to stress reduction.

Increased Acupuncture Dose Improves Effectiveness

Other studies also suggest that an increased acupuncture dose is consistent with the effectiveness of improved fertility outcomes: 

• A 1996 study demonstrated that Uterine blood flow was improved with eight electro-acupuncture sessions (2). 
  
  
• A 2009 prospective clinical trial consisting of 9 electro-acupuncture sessions plus embryo transfer day acupuncture were correlated with an increase in serum cortisol and prolactin and improved IVF outcomes (3). 
  
  
• A 2011 Randomized Controlled Trial that consisted of 14 sessions of low-frequency electro-acupuncture significantly reduced androgens and improved menstrual frequency over physical exercise or no treatment in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). (4)
  
  
• A 2013 Randomized Controlled Trial shows positively induced ovulation in people with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) with 24 visits over 3 months. (5) 
  

Acupuncture On Embryo Transfer Day

I would be remiss not to mention that in 2014 there was one randomized control trial finding live births were lower in the IVF plus acupuncture group compared with the control group that had IVF with no other intervention (8). 

Researchers suspect that the location of treatment offsite from the IVF centre may have contributed to this finding.

Furthermore, initial randomized controlled trials published in 2002 and 2006 found that acupuncture improved IVF pregnancy rates compared to IVF alone (9, 10). 

The 2002 study found that having 1 acupuncture treatment before embryo transfer and one acupuncture treatment after embryo transfer was associated with 42.5% pregnancies, whereas pregnancy rates in the control group (no acupuncture) only had a 26.3% pregnancy rate (9).

The 2006 study compared 3 groups (10):
1. people who received acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer (ACU 1 group)
2. people who received acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer and again two days later (ACU 2 group)
3. people who received no acupuncture (control group)

Clinical pregnancy rates were 13% and 10% higher in the ACU 1 and ACU 2 groups respectively compared to the control group (10). 

It’s also consistent with the previously mentioned studies cited above (1,2,3,4,5), that only having acupuncture surrounding the embryo transfer is not as effective in increasing live birth outcomes when compared to increased dose of acupuncture treatments.

Acupuncture For Fertility Stress

Receiving acupuncture not only helps IVF outcomes but it has also been associated to help reduce stress and anxiety in patients undergoing IVF. This stress reduction was demonstrated in two randomized control trials published in 2009 and 2012 (6,7). Both studies showed that acupuncture on or around day of embryo transfer does significantly reduce stress in IVF patients. 

In Conclusion

In conclusion, there is evidence that having acupuncture surrounding an IVF cycle is beneficial but having a whole system Chinese medicine approach starting prior to an IVF cycle is more effective and associated with greater chances of achieving a pregnancy and live birth. 

For more information on how we can support your fertility journey, feel free to contact us for a free 15-minute Q & A consultation.

References

1. PMID: 25911598 
2. PMID: 8671446 
3. PMID: 19118825 
4. PMID: 20943753
5. PMID: 23482444 
6. PMID: 18314118 
7. PMID: 22499825  
8. PMID: 24937975 
9. PMID: 11937123 
10. PMID: 16600232 

March is Endometriosis Awareness Month.

Endometriosis affects an estimated 1 in 10 people around the world. Many people have received a delayed diagnosis due to a lack of awareness.

Often healthcare professionals can assume this pain is a normal part of menstruation. Unfortunately, there is a negative stigma surrounding people’s reproductive health and discussions surrounding period pain are looked at as taboo. It is not normal for pain to take control of your life, with appropriate pain management suffering can be controlled.

Endometriosis is an overlooked condition affecting thousands of people a year, and awareness must be spread.

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is an inflammatory condition where endometrial-like tissue, similar to the lining in the uterus, is found outside the uterine cavity invading the pelvic and abdominal areas. As hormones naturally fluctuate throughout the month, this triggers the endometrial-like tissue to become reactive and inflamed.

Symptoms of Endometriosis

Symptoms of endometriosis can include pain during periods, ovulation, during/after intercourse, when urinating or while passing bowel movements. It can also cause heavy bleeding during menses, chronic pelvic pain or abdominal pain, extreme fatigue, and infertility.

Endometriosis can place a huge negative impact on one’s lifestyle and social well-being. If you have any of these symptoms, please consult with your general practitioner. There, they can offer an ultrasound scan, further testing (eg. blood work/ MRI scan /biopsy), and/or a referral to see an ObGyn specializing in endometriosis. Hormone contraceptives, or hormone therapy and surgery may become options for treatment.

Diagnosis of Endometriosis

There is no usable set of symptoms that can accurately predict a diagnosis of endometriosis. Surgery is a definitive way to determine a diagnosis for endometriosis. However, a study performed by the University of Aberdeen analyzed primary care records and found that pain and menstrual symptoms occurring within the same year accompanied by lower gastrointestinal symptoms occurring within 90 days of gynaecological pain was a good predictor for endometriosis (1).

• Specialized ultrasound technology has been improving for detection of endometriosis, but a normal ultrasound cannot rule out endometriosis. Endometriosis takes many appearances, making it difficult to differentiate from other conditions, without sampling the tissue itself.
  
• Laparoscopy (a surgery to examine the pelvic and abdominal area) can be performed to cut or burn out any lesions or fibroids to be taken for further diagnostic testing. While this surgery is the only reliable way for a diagnosis and can take away some of the pain, it is invasive and follow-up studies have shown it may not be curative (1). 20-28% of patients did not feel a reduction in pain post-operation and 40-50% required another surgery after 5 years. Given that surgery may only fix endometriosis temporarily, what are solutions that will help cope with endometriosis pain?

Acupuncture For Endometriosis

This chronic condition can take its toll on someone’s mental and physical well-being.

Chronic pain is inconsistent – there are good days and bad days. It is important to have resources and a toolkit that can help alleviate life hindering symptoms.

Acupuncture can help with controlling endometrial pain. Acupuncture works to increase blood circulation, decrease inflammation, and balance hormones.

A Cochrane study enrolled 67 endometriosis patients suffering from dysmenorrhea (painful periods) to receive a 15-point acupuncture prescription and auricular (ear) acupuncture to help relieve their symptoms (2). The study’s primary outcome measure was decrease in pain and the secondary outcome measures were improved quality of life, pregnancy rates, and reduced recurrence of endometriosis. The auricular therapy group came out with a 91.9% success rate and dysmenorrhea pain scores were lower with the group receiving the 15-point acupuncture prescription.

Another study performed in China at Guangzhou University (Department of Gynaecology) shows abdominal acupuncture for 3 months to be effective in treating dysmenorrhea in patients with endometriosis (3).

Diet

Endometriosis is hormone-dependent and susceptible to foods that leave inflammatory markers.

Trans-unsaturated fatty acids, red meat and ham, as well as alcohol are found to potentially exacerbate the risk of developing endometriosis (4).

A Nurses’ Health study followed approximately 81 thousand participants’ diets from 1991 to 2013 (1). They found people consuming more than two servings of red meat per day had a 56% higher risk of endometriosis compared to those consuming one or less red meat products per week.

Being mindful of the amount of refined sugars and grains consumed is also optimal for decreasing inflammation.

Consuming colourful vegetables (rich in antioxidants and vitamins), as well as supplementing with B-group vitamins, calcium, vitamin D, and fish oils including Omega-3 may decrease the prevalence of endometriosis and pain associated with it (4).

Moving Forward

Let’s end the negative stigma by being open to discussing endometriosis and people’s reproductive health. If you feel like there’s something wrong with your reproductive system, don’t be afraid to advocate for your health by seeking a diagnosis and treatment.

Acupuncturists don’t want to see you in constant physical and mental pain, even if you don’t have a diagnosis, we can help bring balance back to your system to repair any ailments and provide lifestyle support.

For more information on how we can support you with endometriosis symptoms, feel free to contact us for a free 15-minute Q&A consult.

Image from fieldandsea.com

References

1. PMID: 32089831
2. PMID: 21901713
3. PMID: 21442808
4. PMID: 29944729
5. PMID: 28326519

I have been seeing a number of patients in the clinic recently that have had issues in the past with their Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) because their uterine (endometrial) lining has not been thick enough for embryo implantation. The optimal uterine lining is at least 8 mm in thickness and has a three-layer (trilaminar) appearance. 

To help support the growth of your endometrial lining, I tend to advise on supplements, diet, acupuncture treatments, and of course following the advice of your Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE). Your RE follows a protocol that they deem will yield the highest success and therefore it is important to trust and follow their advice. 

Supplements and Medication 

When it comes to medications and supplements to help support the growth of the endometrium, I tend to site a pilot study that was published in the Journal of Fertility and Sterility (1). This study compares Vitamin E, L-Arginine, and Sildenafil Citrate (Viagra) in 61 women with thin endometrial lining (less than 8mm) and a high radial artery-resistance index (RA-RI) . Radial artery-resistance is associated with lower pregnancy outcomes. 

The study found that vitamin E improved endometrial thickness in 52% and RA-RI in 72% of participants. L-arginine improved endometrial thickness in 67% and RA-RI in 89% of participants. Sildenafil citrate (Viagra) improved thickness and RA-RI in 92% of participants. The control group (no medication) improved in both parameters in 10% of participants.  

It is important to speak to a practitioner about dosages of Vitamin E and L-arginine. If Sildenafil citrate is something that you wanted to explore you would have to talk to your RE about this, because they would need to write a prescription. 

Diet

I know it might seem like a no-brainer to eat a healthy and balanced diet to help with good blood flow and overall health, but did you know that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) also places importance on eating warm foods?

This includes eating foods that are cooked and not raw. The thought behind this is that a warming diet builds the body’s energy and blood to have the strength to conceive and carry a pregnancy full term. It also helps focus energy and blood circulation on the lower abdomen where reproductive organs reside.

With this in mind, I suggest making a big batch of bone broth and drinking 1 cup of this warm liquid every day for 2-4 weeks leading up to your transfer. Bone broth is high in nutrients, minerals, and collagen that can support the body on a blood level.

Another suggestion that is completely anecdotal but also yummy is drinking 1 cup of pure pomegranate juice per day for 2-4 weeks.  

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has the potential to support the uterine lining because it increases blood flow to the reproductive organs, and it can help to reduce central sympathetic tone and this may lower uterine contractions at the time of embryo transfer. When the uterus is calmer at the time of embryo transfer this has the possibility of a better embryo placement. 

A small study done on central sympathetic tone showed that electroacupuncture did reduce the pulsatility index of those who had greater than 3 (2). Having a pulsatility index of 3 or higher at the time of transfer tends to have a less likely chance of a live birth (3). 

Another small pilot study published in Fertility and Sterility evaluating combining electro acupuncture and Sildenafil on the endometrial lining thickness showed positive results (4). This study provided evidence that combining these two treatments resulted in endometrial lining thickness of greater than 9 mm in all participants who could not reach greater than 8 mm in previous cycles and these positive results included one patient whose lining did not exceed 5 mm previously.

Contact us to find out more about how we can support you with acupuncture and lifestyle support for uterine lining assistance and/or to book an appointment with our wonderful practitioners!

Image http://basiabanda.pl/

References

1. PMID: 19200982
2. PMID: 8671446
3. PMID: 9363232
4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2007.01.203

Let me first start off by saying I have nothing against the culture of “New Year, New Me”, but making a list of resolutions can be daunting, unrealistic, and unenjoyable.

If you’re not big into making New Year’s Resolutions that is completely okay. Unfortunately, societal pressures and obligation is what drives a lot of people to become a whole new, fancier, and better self. The big question for me is what is better and how long will it take until you are fully satisfied? Even once we achieve our goals, how long until we fall out of these good habits?

I believe goals and practices can be set at any time, new years is overrated. I used to have this nonsensical rule that I could hold off starting my goal until the beginning of the next week. More often than not, the beginning of the week would roll around and I would lack all motivation and push starting further and further away. Not much was getting accomplished, and I was feeling bad for procrastinating something that would essentially benefit me.

Movement

While I’m not big into listing off numerous long-term goals, I want to reinforce how important movement is to incorporate in your daily life. For myself, and possibly many others, my long term/life-long goal is to improve my mobility to benefit my physical and mental health. Movement is so important to the body as it promotes cardiovascular health, fights back anxiety and depression, and releases endorphins.

Back in November, every morning my muscles felt tense and stiff, as if I did an intense workout the night before. Except I hadn’t – I had barely moved.

Since the pandemic, I had become more sedentary than ever. I knew I had to start moving more. But I wanted it to be fun and not painful. Also, it was in the middle of a week in November, no official way to start a daily practice. I truly did debate just holding it off until the New Year, but that made no sense. I was feeling so stagnant and fatigued.  

I started practicing some basic yoga I had remembered from previous yoga classes I took. It felt so refreshing to start moving again, the practice only took around 20 minutes and the next morning I was stiff, but in the areas I had stretched. This wasn’t the same groggy stiffness I was used to either, it felt like the muscles were finally being used again.

Because it felt so good and it put me in a relaxed mood afterwards, I made a conscious effort to be kind to myself and avoid discouraging myself. Moving everyday started becoming a daily practice, some days would last an hour and others 10 minutes. But I gave myself patience and the space to grow. 

Online Resources

I am so grateful for the vast content you can find online. While the internet’s endless content can be a blessing and a curse, I chose to really utilize all the free, low barrier entry ways to experiment with personal growth.

Putting on yoga videos and guided meditations have become a fun daily ritual I’ve adopted. There’s an endless stream of really awesome daily full body workouts (without equipment), Tai Chi lessons, and Qi Gong (breath-work) practices that are just clicks away.

Don’t forget to modify those videos to your speed (practice 10 minutes a day first and then increase when you’re ready), you don’t have to start on hard mode. You just need to begin! 

Baby Steps

I recommend baby steps. Take your goal day by day.

Start by making small adjustments and if those are working out for you and you’re happy, then you can move forward with what’s comfortable. It’s okay to respect your limitations and give yourself room to grow. You don’t have to race or push yourself to the extreme. It’s totally okay to have off days, but just remember that doesn’t mean you failed or gave up. 

Habit Forming

Consistency will help it get easier and ease it into your daily lifestyle. A study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology (2009) found that it takes a person 18-254 days to develop a new habit, and around 66 days for a new behaviour to become automatic.

Everyone’s journey is unique, and it doesn’t have to be linear. But once that habit is set, it becomes a daily ritual you’ll miss when you can’t practice it. Set those positive daily intentions and affirmations in the morning to help motivate you. It’s okay to be your own cheerleader. You’ve got this!

To find out more ways to support your health and wellbeing, contact us for a free 15-minute phone consultation.

Image @aolanow

References

DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.674