Breath. Fix your crown. Reintroduce yourself. A letter to any women who is facing adversity.

Take a deep breath in through your nose now release out through your mouth. Embrace the woman that you are; embrace the woman that you are becoming. You are stronger because you rested. This victory will mean more because you overcame. You rested without explanation, you chose you, and now you are ready to reintroduce yourself.

Breath

Breathing is a time of reflection and mediation. Deep breathing is a natural way of releasing pain; reducing inflammation; removing toxins from your body; and is a natural way to release a relaxation response to the body. Deep breathing allows your body a chance to remove itself from “fight or flight” mode and reset.

Fix your Crown

During this stage, it is important to focus on your strengths. Make it a habit to confess daily positive affirmations. I love my body and that it was strong enough to birth a child. I’m a great mom because I took time for myself today. I’m a survivor. I am strong enough to say no today to anything that disturbs my peace. During this time, it is important to see yourself in a positive light and be consistent and intentional in the words that you speak and the actions that you take.

Reintroduce Yourself

Now that you have taken the first step in self-improvement, introduce the new you. Let the words you have spoken in secret speak through your actions and the way you allow others to treat you. You are now mindful of the foods you put in your body. Your words and actions align. You are ready to demand the time, resources, and support needed to be the best version of you. You may even be ready to share your story with other women to let them know that not only can they survive, but they can thrive after diversity.

Complete this five minute exercise with me:

1. Get Comfortable. Find your quiet place. Silence the noise around you. Take a deep breath in through your nose. Exhale slowly from your mouth. Repeat three times.

2. Open your eyes. Look yourself in the mirror. Find three things that you love about yourself. Write these three things down, and repeat every morning for a week.

3. Gather the family. Establish 30 minutes that is non-negotiable that you are allotted to improve your health. It can be time to take a nap or go for a walk, but you decide. Put it on the calendar. Let your co-workers know that you will not take calls during your lunch break. Do not answer your phone after office hours. Set clear boundaries. Call your healthcare provider and schedule an appointment to establish a clear treatment plan.

4. At the beginning of each week repeat this exercise.

5. Keep a journal and make notation on how you feel after completing these exercises. This will motivate you to keep going!

Give us feedback if this exercise helped you. You got this. Remember, we are in this together.

Your Sister in Wellness,

Lauren