Self-Care Academy Newsletter February, 2012
Volume 6 - Issue 2

Unfurl Your Mat!
by Kim Richards, RN, Integrative Nurse Coach

Recently, a student in my yoga class arrived for class with a crumpled, loosely wound mat that was literally falling out of her arms as she hurriedly shuffled in the door. As she threw her mat on the floor, she briefly pondered the heap, looked up and announced,

"This is my life!  A mess!  Totally out of control!"

Everyone within earshot empathized and agreed that they have all experienced that feeling - when life seems to be a crumpled, random mess of a "mat", or foundation. Perhaps our foundation is built on shifting sand, not solid earth and we feel discordance between the constant conversation of our mind and our body. Our life is reflective of the chaos we feel internally.

What practices in your self-care toolbox can you access quickly? How can you nurture and care for yourself in that moment to restore clarity, balance and radiance?

One of my favorite songs is "Build Yourself a Levee" by Natalie Merchant. The song describes the need to build up our own reservoirs and shore ourselves up for those days when we need to deeply tap into our courage, strength, gratitude and grace to create a shift in our attitude, energy or heartstrings. Self-care practice offers an opportunity to build the levee, affirm our purpose and reset our daily journey, allowing us to stand renewed and empowered on strong ground.

What's your "mat" say about you?
Need to create a personal self-care journey?

At Self-Care Academy, we have been dreaming, planning, defining, refining, collaborating and evolving to create a more comprehensive program to support your vision of a healthier, resilient, joyful and energized YOU.

Our focus groups have clearly stated they want more offerings. This year we are responding with some greatly enhanced resources designed to give you what you are asking for. Workshop participants who have implemented their own sustainable My Self-Care Journey, report feeling mentally, emotionally and physically resilient yet they want to kick it up a notch, or as we say in yoga practice, "Get Your Heels Down", "Flip Your Dog", even "Do the Wild Thing!" Regardless of your yoga skill or interest, everyone appreciates the analogy of getting your groove on and feeling intimately and gratefully connected with a radiant life!
 

Upcoming Events

February 5-8, 2012

Visit Kim at the Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL) 34th Annual Conference in Rancho Mirage, CA.

A Certified Yoga and Fitness Instructor, Kim will be leading a yoga class at 6:30 am on Tuesday, February 7th and bustin' a move with some Zumba fun during the opening session at 8:30am!

Visit Booth #308!

Invite Kim to Speak!

Honoring your caregivers is not just a Nurses' Week celebration. Let Kim assist your team in creating their own self-care journey by applying practical self-care strategies into their lives, improving resilience, teamwork and optimal healing environments. Kim is booking speaking engagements, workshops and group coaching for 2012.

Here are what people are saying about Kim from a recent conference:

"Your speech at the conference was so wonderful! I literally walked out of there dancing with a desire to start every day with positive affirmations of my awesomeness. =)"

"You ROCKED today! Tomorrow morning, I will get up early for clinical, and do some positive self-talk. I think I'm going to commit to sitting in bed for a couple minutes each morning and thinking of all the things I am grateful for :)"

Consider Kim for your next event!  Contact her today!

Self-Care Academy
Kim Richards, RN
Integrative Nurse Coach
303-904-9803
kim@self-careacademy.com

Give the gift of

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