self-care — Blog — Melody Woolford Coaching

Gratitude for Your Body: The 21-Day Challenge to a Happier You

You are invited to participate in a 21-day gratitude challenge that starts on June 1st. The challenge involves celebrating and appreciating our bodies for all they do, big and small, with daily prompts and occasional optional exercises. By changing our perspective and seeing our bodies as superheroes that carry us through life's adventures, we can boost our mood, enhance relationships, reduce stress, and improve physical health. The challenge is a fun way to give our bodies the love and care they deserve, with a healthy dose of humor and playfulness.

Lessons from NASCAR Drivers

How often do you schedule in time to refuel and rejuvenate throughout your day?

Do you theoretically love what you do but struggle to focus and feel burnout out by the end of day or week?

Not taking enough breaks could be a major contributing factor.

There is a lot we can learn from NASCAR driver’s pit stops to reduce chances of spinout and crashes.

Productivity, Self-care, Work ProductivityMelody WoolfordJune 22, 2021self-care, Productivity

Breath: The Missing Pillar of Health

As part of my 100 day breathwork project I read the book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor. In it Nestor argues that breath is the missing pillar of health today, that 90% of us are breathing incorrectly and that many modern maladies such as anxiety, ADHD, asthma, psoriasis and more could be reduced or reversed by changing how we inhale or exhale.

It was an interesting read. Some of the assertions were based on science and some anecdotal. He basically encourages us to take our breath seriously and optimize it by focusing on these 8 principals:

Work Productivity, Mental HealthMelody WoolfordFebruary 22, 2021self-care

To Love Our Lives We Have To Love Ourselves First

So many of us moms don’t love our lives because we don't love ourselves enough. We're so harsh on ourselves when we don’t live up to our own expectations. We beat ourselves up for not being perfect and amazing at everything. This lack of self-love and self-compassion is the root cause of so much of our pain and struggles. Many of us associate self-love with narcissism and having a big ego. But self-love is simply having a high regard for our own well-being and happiness.

Self-care isn’t always a cuddle (4 of 30)

Sometimes self-care looks like discipline.

Trying over and over, until we get the result we want.

It is listening to your body and mind.

Really listening…

Sitting in discomfort… observing…

Allowing the feelings and urges to flow through you…

Instead of resisting, avoid, or reacting to them…

Knowing you are trading short term pain for long term gain.

Lessons & Insights from 2019Melody WoolfordJanuary 4, 2020self-care

Preemptively engage in self-care (3 of 30)

How many of you practice this daily? Be honest!

Most of us only grab the oxygen mask in an emergency.

But if we really want to serve ourselves, our loved ones and our communities with greater impact we have to learn to preemptively engage in self-care.

I thought I was fairly good at this. I’d regularly set aside time for yoga, hiking, girlfriends, solo travel, quiet time, etc. But I realized it was just enough to SURVIVE, not necessarily THRIVE.

Big takeaway … Don’t wait until your body is screaming at you to take action, practice radical self-care BEFORE you crash and burn. 😁

Lessons & Insights from 2019, Mental HealthMelody WoolfordJanuary 3, 202030 day challenge, self-care