Opening to more Joy and Ease: A Guide
Welcome, I’m glad you are here!
Today, I want to share some valuable insights on how to drop the overwhelm of daily life stuff and bring more ease and joy into your day-to-day rhythm.
In this guide, you’ll discover:
What blocks JOY
How to open to more ease
Some tips to keep yourself aligned and moving toward what lights you up, YEH!
What Blocks JOY?
Understanding what blocks joy is the first step toward inviting more of it into your life. Discover a few common blood-sucking life drainers on the next few pages.
Criticism
This is a BIG passion killer right here. It lowers your frequency, creates a closure in your nervous system and is a straight up barrier to all joy. There are two facets of it: Self-criticism: which gets us nowhere in the confidence and easy breezy life departments. And criticizing others: which only builds resentment and drains your life force energy.
It’s essential to become aware when this habit sneaks in and takes over. As soon as you notice it you will do some brain training kung fu and switch that thought around asap. Find something positive in yourself, or the other person, and if any counter intentions come in, swipe those mofo’s away! STAY STRONG! You are actually building new neural pathways when you do this…..exciting stuff!
Overcommitment
Taking on too much can lead to burnout and stress. You know that overwhelming feeling of juggling too much where you feel consumed by all the things? The copious dishes, the laundry pile, work, oh and the keeping children alive thing.
It’s crucial to learn to say no and prioritize activities that bring you happiness. This requires you becoming quiet and listening within. Leave obligations in the dust and learn to quieten the mind to hear what's true for you in the moment.
What are you a ‘YES” to, and what’s a true ‘NO’. When you tune in and satisfy what lights you up, the other mundane life things become much easier AND, everything gets done, I promise!
Lack of Presence
Being constantly busy or distracted prevents you from appreciating the present moment. You are in your mind, thinking too much, moving from one thing to the next without a breath.
This keeps you in a fight-or-flight mode, making it impossible to truly enjoy the moment or be open to any kind of magic coming your way. Your system is basically shut down to flow or joy. Practicing embodiment can help you stay grounded and find joy in the now.
How to Open to More Ease:
If we aren’t in our bodies, we are just some headless chickens missing the point of life: which is to LOVE IT!
Embodiment is the practice of connecting with your body (and therefore SOURCE). When we drop back into our body, we can more easily connect to our inner wisdom.
Here are a few ways to open up to more ease through embodiment:
Breathing Exercises
Fall back into your breath. You don’t have to ‘do’ anything here but become aware of your breath. Breathe in and out through your nose. Feel the air move in your nostrils and see if you can bring it right down to your womb space. Let it be a natural process.If it feels good, let the breath lengthen. Doing this can bring you back into your body, into the present moment and helps you shift into the parasympathetic nervous system and out of ‘doing’ mode. Rinse and repeat!
Movement
Gentle movement can help release tension and bring more ease into your body. I love dancing, like the hippy swaying-kind-of-slow but unwinding kind of dance. My body moves where it needs to with no agenda.
Myofascial release creates optimal flow in our tissues. Since memories and emotions are stored here, this practice allows us to release them without overthinking or needing to figure anything out. Use a foam roller, a lacrosse ball or even that stainless steel water bottle lying around. Pick a body part and roll. It rehydrates the tissue and helps us become unstuck in all the ways.
Find a type of movement that feels good to you and make it a regular part of your daily rhythm.
Body Awareness
Pay attention to your body’s signals. Are you tense? Tired? Hungry? Your body is eternally wise. Listening to and honoring these signals can help you pause and slow down.When you take care of simple needs throughout the day, and do not override them, you are creating more spaciousness for your nervous system to feel more balanced, at ease and open.
Tips to Keep Yourself Aligned & Moving Toward
what lights you up
1. Set Intentions
Wake up and start your day with a clear intention. What do you want to focus on? (Remember it expands!!) Is it more ease and playfulness with your children/ to feel deeply attuned to your path/ keeping an open heart? Whatever it is, let those intentions be your compass throughout your day.
This gives you a steller launching point for your day. You will notice that as you practice this, things that are not aligned with the intention will begin to fall away, and things that help it expand will move toward you. Meta Physics!
2. Be Thank-FULL:
Taking a few moments each day to reflect on what you’re grateful for can shift your focus from what’s lacking to what’s abundant in your life. There is ALWAYS something to be grateful for. (Another neural pathway hack, I’m all about them!)
3. Follow Your Passions
Make time for activities that spark inspiration. Whether it’s a dazzling art frenzy, crocheting boobs on a top (what?), hiking in beauty, prioritize what brings you joy. CHOOSE it no matter what, let the to-do list go, and say YES to what lights you up….Life is waaaaaay more fun this way.
4. “Mellow Efficiency”
I adopted this genius idea from a dear friend. Do everything you need with mellow efficiency. Absolutely no rushing. That means you’ve got to boot that sense of urgency to the curb and TRUST that all will get done in divine timing. Let yourself relax into life and enjoy the smaller moments.
5. Regular Check-Ins
Periodically check in with yourself to see if you’re on track. Are you feeling aligned with your intentions and values? Breathe into your body (the well of wisdom) and reflect on any areas where you may be drifting or feeling ungrounded. Use any of the embodiment practices to bring you back into alignment so you can move toward your goals with clarity and purpose.
Conclusion
By understanding what blocks joy, practicing embodiment, and staying aligned with what lights you up, you can bring more ease and joy into your daily life. Remember, it’s about small, consistent changes that lead to a more vibrant, fulfilling existence.
So, fall back into your breath, embrace the journey, and let ease and joy guide you back to your heart.
