Stepping away from perfection. My Summer YES and NO list

I don’t believe in perfection when it comes to health. I think it is more about reading the signs that your body is communication about its state and then knowing what to do to bring it back into balance. It is also a matter of staying in integrity with what you know serves and supports you.

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I also don’t think we can ever get to the end of the wellness journey, to a perfect health that requires no maintenance. I don’t know anyone who would say there is nothing that can be improved in the way their body feels and the way they behave towards their body. We always want to feel better, there is always something to improve.
And that’s a good thing! If we are not moving forward, we will feel stuck and eventually slide backwards.
Another reason why we are never at the end of the wellness journey is that it is hard to maintain feeling good and healthy in the current living environment. Stress, pollution, over abundance of food, unhealthy social expectations, over active state of nervous system – all of these make it difficult to stay healthy. Just maintaining good health requires consistent daily commitment. If you want AMAZING health and energy, it will require even more of a commitment.
There is no pill, herb, or 7 day detox that will create a vibrant state of being without dailly practices that help to maintain health. That’s the truth of it.
Self-care that includes healthy good, movement, relaxation, and human connection is not a luxury, it’s a must of you want to feel healthy.
And even if you do take care of your body well sometimes your body will ask for more. A tough project, stressful situation, a few sleepless nights, several unhealthy meals and your body might start sending signs that it needs attention.
It happened to me in the last few weeks. Working on a few large projects for my Russian tribe while maintaining my coaching practice, transatlantic airplane trips and keeping up with full inboxes in 2 languages led to a feeling of a burnout.

Here is how my body met me know: (pay attention to your body and see if you can notice the same signs):

  • Less energy in the morning
  • Burning dry eyes even free 1 hour of looking at any sort of a screen
  • Puffiness and water retention in the morning
  • Craving for carbs (fruits but way too many)
  • Fatigue after lunch even if if was just a soup
  • A sense of internal inflammation and increased acidity
  • Reaction to certain foods that showed up as stuffy nose and bumps on my fingers (seafood and lemons)
I could have gotten upset at my body for breaking on me at his point but instead I recognize that it needs a break and lots of anti-inflammatory healing foods.

So here is the plan I’m going to use for myself for the next 15-20 days

  • Cucumber, fennel, mint and e3live juice in the morning
  • Cooling sitali breath before and after meals
  • No gluten, dairy, sugar
  • Green soup or any other veggies soup for dinner
  • Creating a more cooling calming yoga practice
  • Coconut butter with berries for deserts. I love grated whole coconut like this one
  • I will also be taking some herbs and drinking cooling herbal teas. My favorite summer herbs are Brahmi (for its pitta-balancing stabilizing effect, and licorice mint tea to cool down and prevent sugar cravings)

My intention is to say No to hustle, should’s, pleasing others, stuffed up calendar, numbing the feelings, waiting to rest, sitting inside all day, intense stimulation, strong tea and endless to-do lists

And to say a BIG Yes to play, freedom, deep breaths, empty slots on the calendar, deep connection, being true to myself, rest, inspiration, reading, reflection, long walk, feeling sun rays, praying, yoga, more walks, being taken care of, receiving, deeply giving from an overflowing place, flow.
With intense Pitta energy in the air, summer is the time that challenges us to learn how to shift from: 
  • Busy
  • Frazzled
  • Trying to hard
  • Eating too much and working too much
  • Pleasing others
  • Living disconnected from the body
And evolve our internal state and external environment to feel more:
  • Freedom
  • Feminine energy
  • Softness
  • Trust
  • Slowing down
  • Beach walks
  • Connecting with nature
  • Stillness
  • Surrender
  • Playfulness
  • Joy
It might seem like a lot and too tough to commit to.  You might think to yourslef if I was free, didn’t have kids, wasn’t working ful time I could do something like this but not now. I hear you and still encourage you to shift your priorities and make time for yourself. If you don’t do it now, it will only get harder later. There is never a perfect time. It is better to start sooner with smaller steps.
If you don’t choose to take care of yourself, nobody else will. Don’t get upset at your body for not feeling perfect. Instead take daily actions to help your body feel great.
What in your life and your surrounding environment aggravates Pitta dosha right now and what do you REALLY need to support HARMONY?
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