This is a transformational ritual in response to the pain of a death– a simple ritual for grief, growth, and turning toward our experience just as it is, as was taught by Rachel Naomi Remen, MD, in 2015 at a training on Mindfulness for End of Life Providers. It’s a tool that is continually transforming me into a better provider and a more aware person. It is also a resource that I love to share with patients and anyone else navigating the death of a loved one.
Pursuit of Happiness
9 posts
In terms of self-care, December can be the hardest month. And the most critical, right? We can be overly busy, under-rested, sugar-crashed, out of our normal rhythms, and often struggling with expectations and stress about money, time, year-end loose ends, gifts, travel, family challenges, getting things done on time… and the list goes on. To have balance and health in the face of it requires both a conscious intention and some practical tools.
What would make it easier to stay healthy, sane, and nourished? Here are 5 tips (including two recipes) for a nourishing holiday season.
People often say, “You work in hospice. Wow, that must be so hard.” (…or heavy, draining, or any number of other words that suggest a weighty emotional slog.) In my experience, it’s many things. Poignant. Intimate. Beautiful. Intense. Fulfilling. Refreshingly real. With all due respect, there is plenty of grit in hospice work. I’m not saying it’s easy but for me it is unquestionably nourishing on a deep level.
Plant the Seed: Schedule Care in Advance Whatever you do just for you—acupuncture, a massage, a meditation group, a counseling session, a pedicure with a good friend—book it ahead of time. Schedule that mid-December appointment so you know it will happen. It will be there in the midst of the […]
Day 4. Choose the Right Amount of Doing Why are we doing all the holiday stuff? For fun, celebration, quality time with people we care about, to share in something meaningful? And does it feel that way when we are overextended and exhausted? Not usually. While it’s wonderful to be […]
Day 3. Craft A Fitness Plan that Fits Your Life Walking around the block? One yoga pose a day? The 7 minute workout? Why wait for January to feel good? If you already have an exercise routine that you love, keep it alive through December. If you don’t, sample some […]
This is day 2 in a 5 day series of simple suggestions for tending to your body, heart, and mind during the hectic month of December. Two Minutes of Silence and Solitude Take it. I recommend mornings. Set a stopwatch on that fancy smartphone of yours. Take 2 minutes to breathe, […]
The expectations and pace of life in December can easily spin out of control. In terms of self-care, December can be the hardest month. And the most critical, right? We can be overly busy, under-rested, sugar-crashed, out of our normal rhythms, and often struggling with expectations and stress about money, […]
This is a personal story of training for my first sprint triathlon, getting injured, and letting go. It’s also a tale of new beginnings, self-love, and a commitment to health and self-care.