In November, Meagan did an interview with Authority Magazine. The interview included many additional questions. Check out the full interview linked HERE. Below, Meagan shares her current favorite five lifestyle tweaks.
1. Move every day in an intentional way. This could be anything from stretching, dancing, yoga, Zumba®, weight lifting, breath work, or a walk outside. I had a chiropractor once tell me that if everyone did yoga every day he would be out of a job. I think it’s critical to perform movement with intentions, as they help to anchor us in the present moment. Integrate this into your every day, like taking 5 or 10 minutes here and there throughout your day to stretch or for breath work. Have a walking meeting with someone. Have weights readily available at your desk or in the car.
2. Get clear on your boundaries and your values. Boundaries can be set with yourself, work, consumption (food or social media are just two examples), family and friends. Setting a boundary may sound simple and easy, but it may take some practice. It also has the possibility of feeling a little uncomfortable, especially if you are typically a people pleaser. If you are constantly covering shifts at work, running errands for a friend, responding to every message ASAP on your phone, and saying yes any time a family member asks you to spent time, you may be feeling a little drained because you are spending so much energy on others. One tool I like to use is asking myself: “What is in my best interest?” This typically is a good guide for me to make a healthy choice. Once you establish firm boundaries and are clear on what is important to you, it will have a wonderful domino effect on your life. It will help preserve your energy so you can invest that energy into what is truly important.
3. Turn the darn phone off, please! Get present with yourself and whoever you’re spending time with in real life. Disconnect for a bit and sit in silence for some time; it can be quite powerful. When we sit in silence, we also begin to feel our feelings. That’s the place where we start to heal. I witness this often in body work sessions when I am working with clients. I have heard from multiple clients on the massage table, “Is this supposed to be emotional?” The phone is a constant distraction. I feel like it pulls us out of the present moment. Drop in and feel your feelings. If this is too much, try putting your phone on Do Not Disturb, putting it on silent, setting limits on your apps or moving your social media apps to the last screen.
4. Find a healthy balance between routine and leaving space for the unknown. I have created a routine so that I can be spontaneous without feeling stressed. A great book for routine and discipline is, The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma. A lovely book for breaking patterns and creating new experiences is, Becoming Supernatural by Dr. Joe Dispenza. If you’re feeling “stuck,” this may be the perfect tweak for you. If you are tired of your experiences, it’s time to create new ones. Dr. Joe speaks about creating new thoughts and imagining future feelings. An exercise for this could simply be imagining yourself in the future at a new job or with a new partner. You’ll want to get specific on what emotions you’d be feeling during this amazing new experience. As far as routine goes, this is helpful for productivity and feeling grounded. While in bed at night, I go over my agenda for the next day. It’s helpful to see where I can plug time in to relax, and how I can prepare to keep the day moving smoothly and not feeling rushed.
5. Say “thank you” to more than just humans. This could mean animals, spaces, objects, food, weather, a good book, a wonderful night’s sleep, plants. Dr. Daniel Amen has done studies and brain scans on how gratitude positively affects the brain. There have been studies performed on how speaking kindly to plants can help them grow faster. I once had a summer goal to smile and say hello to every person I passed on the street while I was running. I even made a point to take my headphones out, make eye contact, smile and say hello. That feeling of connection really warmed me. The same goes for saying, “thank you.” The most popular for me is thanking spaces. I always thank my office space when I leave each night.
Meagan Visnaskas works with massage clients at the NH Health & Wellness Center, including guiding them in self-care practices. She has been trained in deep tissue, reflexology, somatic massage, Swedish massage, and craniosacral therapy. She is a registered yoga instructor and certified Reiki Master Teacher. To schedule a session or for more information, call 603-801-2777 or email meagan@nhhealthwellness.com.
