So you've got a tight deadline, a long home to-do list, kids screaming & dinner to make. This lay-out sounds familiar, right? I bet. It seems like The New American Way. Well, what if we could use mindfulness, breathing or a cold shower to help us re-connect? What if we didn't need to spend any money on the latest supplement or waste an hour driving to take some class? Spoiler alert... we don't. This power is more of an ability that each of us possess & it's free. So go ahead and close out of that checkout window and read below for some simple reminders that will be sure to save you a couple bucks if practiced routinely. 

   I'm someone who constantly has an ever growing to-do list & find myself always on the go. Historically I have really struggled to check in with myself to understand what I can do to help free up space & time. Over the last few years I have focused a lot more of my attention internally instead of always outsourcing this to a supplement or a workout (not to say that either of those are bad... obviously). I've used meditation, breath work and cold submersions in my routine as a way to re-connect with myself. When more and more research continued to prove the benefits on connecting both in a daily practice I knew I had to give it a try for myself. I know you've probably heard of & performed each one of these respectively... but have you performed these consecutively? Maybe not. If not, I highly encourage you to look into some of the practices of Wim Hof (if you don't know the Ice Man, please go take some time to Google him). Wim uses a three pronged approach: Breath, Mind & Cold to help thousands and thousands of people deal with life-threatening circumstances. Here is a simple breathing and mindfulness exercise that I've learned from him and one that I practice nearly every day:

BREATH

1. While sitting or lying down, take 30 full conscious breaths. Breathe fully in to the belly and chest, then without force, let the breath 

         go. I like to imagine my brain is in a balloon, inflating with oxygen and deflating CO2 

   2.  On the 30th exhale hold at the bottom for as long as you can without any discomfort. Don't force it!

   3.  When you feel the urge to breathe again, take a deep breath in and hold for 10-15 seconds. Then relax

   4.  Repeat these first three steps two more times

MIND

  5.  Before you get up from breathing, bring up a positive thought in your mind. It could be a thought of gratitude (which is always my   

        go-to) or maybe a confident thought

  6. Now notice how your body feels reflecting on this thought

  7.  If you have any inner mental resistance, continue breathing until you re-connect your mind and body

   This exercise is perfect to start the day on the right foot. I like doing this to help set myself up for all the "stressors" that are sure to come. It allows me to process tasks more clearly and intentionally than I would if I started the day aimlessly in front of the coffee. Now if you really want to feel supercharged, like a cup of coffee on steroids, give cold exposure a shot. You don't need cryotherapy, an ice barrel (although I do have one of these and I absolutely love it!) or the next ice-bucket challenge. At the end of your next shower just simply turn your water to cold. That's it. Start with 10 seconds & gradually extend your exposure every day until you can handle two minutes in the cold. This cold exposure has been scientifically proven to improve your metabolic efficiency, regulate your hormones, reduce inflammation & increase the release of endorphins and endocannabinoids. As an added bonus you may receive some compliments on the vitality of your skin. Ahhhh yes, the ageless wonder.

   It's pretty easy when you think about it, don't wait until you are sick to get healthy. Connecting with yourself using these tactics is to empower yourself. Even though you more than likely have heard of each of these tactics, you probably aren't utilizing them to the fullest. I'm here for that reminder. So go ahead and implement these in your daily life and let me know how you're feeling! I'd love to know.