My Best Self 101 Blog
A journal excerpt from seven years ago reads:
“Last night, I was awake half the night with a new baby. Today, I chased a toddler, ran elementary kids to gymnastics and soccer, navigated the emotions of a middle schooler, attended choir and orchestra concerts at the high school, helped my junior with math homework, encouraged my senior to apply for college scholarships, and led the parent drama board. Oh, and kept everyone fed.”
Breathing is vital to life, but did you know the way you breathe can be used as a cheat code to vitality? Breath work has been the recipient of some much well deserved attention lately. You may have heard of deep breathing or box breathing, but one breathing technique stands out above the rest. Enter the physiological sigh (or cyclic sighing if done on repeat). This sigh isn’t your typical exasperated "why me?" sigh that you let out when your drink spills. A physiological sigh is essentially a double-inhale followed by a long exhale. It’s a natural pattern of breathing you may have noticed yourself performing after a good cry. That’s because the physiological sigh has been known to help your body move from “fight or flight” to “rest and digest” or “chill and heal” via the parasympathetic nervous system, making the physiological sigh a sort of super hero. Humor alert: If sighs were a superhero, they'd be "Captain Reset"—swooping in to save the day from emotional villains like "The Overthinker" or "Deadline Doom." And unlike caffeine, they won't leave you jittery—just joyfully zen. From what mechanisms does the physiological sigh gain its super powers? Well, I’m glad you asked.
Bringing a new life into the world is nothing short of miraculous. But the days, weeks, and months that follow can be some of the most overwhelming. Postpartum recovery is layered—physical healing, emotional adjustment, and the mental shift into a whole new identity. While medical care, rest, and a strong support system are critical, there’s another quiet, powerful healer that’s often overlooked: nature.
I remember being more excited to go to school on Fridays than any other day of the week. In elementary school, I followed a very conventional schedule: I went to school from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Fridays were, of course, special. I think most people in the world have a soft spot for Fridays because they signal the start of the weekend—a glorious and triumphant day marking the end of a workweek. But that wasn’t my reason for loving Fridays.
Something I have been thinking about lately is empathy. Empathy seems to be one of those words that has various definitions, and depending on who is talking about it, a different take on what it looks like to be empathetic. I decided to investigate and see what some of the people who spent time studying empathy had to say. I wanted to know how empathy can be expressed and utilized for good and if there are ways to increase the ability to extend empathy to those around us, especially those who are different from us.
Have you ever had those days when everything seems to go wrong? The kind of day when you spill breakfast on your perfectly planned outfit of the day; when you tell a joke in a group of people and nobody seems to get it; or when you are walking down the street and you trip and fall in front of a crowd of random strangers, wishing the earth could just swallow you whole? Chances are, most people have experienced something like this at least once if not multiple times in their lives. While these moments can feel like the worst personal disaster at the time, a slight change in perspective can turn them into hilarious stories you later laugh about with friends.
One of my favorite family traditions that I had growing up was camping around Christmas time! We would go up into the mountains and spend a few days hiking around in the snow and playing card games as a family. It felt so cozy to be surrounded by the tall evergreen trees and the snow covered mountains. My favorite part about our trips was at night. There was this dock close by that was used in the summer. It afforded a nice view of the wide river that connected all the mountains. At night, it was the perfect stargazing spot. Looking up you could watch the night sky spin.
Many of us think of prayer as a way to communicate with a higher power, God, nature, etc… We rarely think of prayer as a researched practice to enhance mental and physical health benefits. Regardless of the beliefs of each reader, prayer proves to be a powerful principle of positive psychology and puts forth results for millions of people around the world.
As spring has begun, the weather has been pleasant enough to leave my window cracked open. Nature’s morning alarm, the sounds of birds outside my apartment, gently makes its wake-up call, setting me up for a more mindful morning. It is an immediate reminder when I wake that I am connected to the world around me. The birdsong helps me to not be so caught up in my own busy schedule—rather be prepared to notice and enjoy what’s around me.
Inside the Accademia Gallery of Florence in Italy my husband and I shuffled shoulder to shoulder like cattle moving our way toward our goal. We had gotten tickets months in advance and were among the thousands of tourists each day wanting to see it with our own eyes. We turned the corner and there, over the heads of the herd at the end of a wide corridor lined with other sculptures by the great Michealangelo, I saw it. Considering the number of people, it was almost eerie how quiet it became the closer we got to the masterpiece. David commanded an awe and reverence as we took him in. He really is elegant. I’ll never forget how I felt seeing the famed David my art teachers had raved about.
