5, 5 minute daily practices that will change your life.

Hello everyone,

Today I’m bringing you a follow up to my last post on getting organized for the new season ahead. Organization is so crucial to feeling on top of our game, especially in busier seasons. However, with productivity comes the potential for feeling too busy and becoming overwhelmed by it all. So, taking the energy of early fall and the new routines this season presents for many of us, I began to think about some super easy, short practices that can be slotted into the day, which are guaranteed to slow the pace and recharge mind and body, even during the busiest of days.

These practices are so simple and even doing just one of them (if that’s all you can manage) will have significant benefits to health and wellbeing. So let’s dive in and be well!

1. Cold showers.

Yikes, you may think; is this woman crazy? This sounds like torture, especially as the temperatures are cooling down here in the Northern Hemisphere. I understand your concern, when I was first presented with this idea, some years ago, I too wondered how a cold shower could be beneficial to our physical and mental health. And yes... it sounded a bit harsh, I admit! However, I would encourage you to give it a go. Once you start the day with a cold blast of water, after your regular warm shower, you will be hooked! Last winter, I started working with the Wim Hof method and I have found it to be incredibly helpful with problems related to inflammation. The cold water acts like a natural ice pack and helps with sore muscles, general aches and pains, and it just brings a feeling of well-being to the body. You will experience a tingling feeling to your body and a clarity to your mind. I can guarantee that if you try just a few seconds of cold water after your warm shower, you will feel the benefits immediately. You will feel instantly alive and ready for the day, and the cold time can be increased gradually, to increase the benefits. Just a few minutes a day, but potentially life changing! You will be amazed at how powerful this practice can be. To find out more about the power of the cold and how to incorporate it into a health and wellness practice, see my blog post from December 3rd 2021: https://www.sacrednorthyoga.com/bewell-the-blog/embrace-the-cold-this-winter-and-let-it-work-for-you

2. Mindful Hydration.

We’ve heard it over and over about how drinking enough water is the elixir of life. There’s a reason for it, it’s true! Most of us just don’t drink nearly enough water in a day to be truly hydrated and functioning optimally. So, how can we make sure we drink enough to keep ourselves fully hydrated? I have found that using the term “mindful hydration” is the best way for me to not only remember to drink water, but also want to drink it! I fill a large glass jug with water at the start of the day. I work from home, so I keep this jug on my kitchen counter. I slice some lemon or lime and leave that beside the jug. If I have extra time, I then add a crystal or a small sprinkle of herbs to the jug. If not, I don’t worry about it. And then I drink. Every time I come to the kitchen, I pour a new glass and drink it, being mindful of how good the water is for me, how much my mind and body benefits from it and how I am taking care of myself by preparing this small gift of water for myself, for the day. If you work in an office or other business setting, simply doing the same with a large water bottle that inspires you towards this act of self care will do the trick. Place the jug or bottle where you can see it regularly and be mindful of how the water is benefitting you every time to drink it. So simple, just minutes per day for feeling more energized.

3. Meditation.

Again, we all know the benefits of meditation by now. We have all read about how it helps with everything from stress relief to headaches, from fatigue to increasing productively. But actually fitting it in to the day is where the problem often lies. So, how can five minutes of our day be dedicated to this practice? Simple - incorporate it into another daily habit. For example, if you walk every day, either to work, shops, walking a dog etc... add it into that. Take five minutes of mindful breathing, repeating a simple mantra in your mind, or just listening mindfully to nature into your walking and you have a walking meditation. If you take public transport, sit quietly, close your eyes, relax tight muscles, take your awareness to your breath and repeat silently, ‘I am breathing in, I am breathing out’ for a few minutes. If you have a yoga practice, take the same principle into a pose and breath mindfully for a few minutes in that pose. It’s all meditation. And the benefits to mind and body are life changing.

4. Viparita Karini.

This is a yoga pose often called “legs up the wall”. It is a restorative posture and a few minutes of this pose every day can be transformative to health and well being. This hidden gem of a yoga pose is basically a self contained, self care practice in itself. It brings balance and stability to the body and peace to the mind. It stabilizes the blood pressure, reduces fatigue, stimulates the abdominal organs, opens the chest and lungs, relieves symptoms of anxiety and depression, and promotes a quietening of the brain. Devoting five minutes of your day to this pose, can and will, change your life. You can also do a five minutes meditation while in this pose, so two for the price of one! If you want to know more about this pose and it’s potential to bring peace and stability to your life, please see my blog post from September 24th 2021: https://www.sacrednorthyoga.com/bewell-the-blog/inner-balance-and-stability-with-viparita-kirani. I also have several YouTube videos on my Sacred North Yoga and Wellness channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_dMQQ_4dPD5BJ-J0RZDYrw that incorporate this pose into longer practices.

5. Earthing.

The last of the five, five minute practices is earthing. A super simple practice of getting the body on to the earth. Another word for this practice is grounding. When the body is in physical connection to the earth, the transferral of energy from our bodies to the earth (which sends negative energy down into the earth, and in turn receives the limitless natural supply of energy of the earth, to recharge and calm our systems) allows us to become more focused, less scattered and anxious, and generally more connected to ourselves and the world around us. It’s so simple and so effective. Walking barefoot for a short time each day in summer, or just placing our bare feet on the ground while sitting is all that is required. In the cooler months, simply touching a tree, rock, or any physical part of nature that is rooted to the earth for just a few minutes is all that is necessary. So quick, so easy and a practice that can be life changing. To find out more about this practice you can read my blog post from February 5th 2021: https://www.sacrednorthyoga.com/bewell-the-blog/grounding-bringing-the-element-of-earth-into-your-self-care-routinenbsp. I also have a YouTube yoga practice on my channel for grounding and centring https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb8RbHeZ6Ao&t=372s that incorporates this practice into a short routine.

So, there you have it. Five, five minute practices that can and will change your life. Give one or all of them a try and I would love to know how it goes for you. Chat with me in the comments below, or send me a message on the Connect with Me page of this website. I am available to answer any questions about the practices, or would just love to chat about health and wellness with you. You can also find me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sacred.north.yoga/ and on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_dMQQ_4dPD5BJ-J0RZDYrw. Come practice with me there, I would love to see you!

If this inspired you today, please share it with a friend; it might inspire their wellness journey too!

Until next time... Be Well!