Happy New Year and New Decade!

How are you stepping into the new year and decade?

Are you showing up as the REAL YOU?

It’s okay if you don’t have answers to one or both of these questions.

I invite you to slow your living down and take time this month to explore who you want to be and how you want to step into this year and decade. To get you started, I have included the Thriving Mindfully Commitments I am using to navigate my new year and decade. See below.

Become still and ask yourself what each commitment means to you.

Carve out some time to write about them in your journal (go here to listen to my Thriving Mindfully Podcast for tips on mindful journaling). Reflect on what you have written.

Be with it all for a few days before coming back to your journal.

Reread your thoughts and select the words, phrases, and sentences that truly touch your heart. Let them guide you as you prepare your intention(s).

If you need more encouragement and inspiration watch my video story that shares how living on U Street in DC helped me embrace Thriving Mindfully as the REAL ME.

During the video, I share the lessons I learned that led me to create Thriving Mindfully as a heart-centered approach to being the REAL YOU. You get the inside scoop on what I am currently writing about in my fourth book, Thriving Mindfully as the REAL ME. You’ll also learn about how I use the Thriving Mindfully 5 Commitments: Slow Your Living, Sustain Your Living, Share Your Living, Serve Through Your Living, and Savor Your Living.

Need more support with opening your heart and incorporating mindfulness, self-care, wellness, and creativity into your life and career?

Seeking ways to be more resilient in your life and career?

Looking for a meditation community in DC?

Interested in participating in monthly moon circles and learning how you can use moon energy, astrology, meditation, gentle yoga, reiki, crystal therapy, and chakra sound healing to understand yourself and navigate your life and career journey?

Check out my January offerings below.

Join me and the Thriving Mindfully Meetup Group for the FREE Mindful Monday Meditation class on Mondays from 6:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW in DC. The first class of 2020 begins on January 6th. Go here for more information.

Guess what will happen on the third Monday of each month during the Mindful Monday Meditation class? An open mic circle! A short meditation will be held from 6:15 p.m. to 6:35 p.m. The open mic will be held from 6:40 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. All  folx who want to share their creative gifts are welcome!

The moon is a feminine symbol that represents our inner world, intuition, emotions (known and hidden), unconscious beliefs, desires, dreams, shadow self, fears, and worries. It orbits the earth about every 29 days. Each month it invites us to slow down and go within to connect with ourselves.

Takerah Mafi says, “the moon is a loyal companion. It never leaves. It is always there watching, steadfast, knowing us in our light and dark moments, changing forever just as we do. Every day it is a different version of itself. Sometime weak and wane. Sometimes strong and full of light. The moon understands what it means to be human.”

The new moon represents new beginnings, fresh starts, and new ideas. It invites us to slow down and carve out time to retreat, regain our strength, and recharge. It’s a good time to tap into our intuition, set intentions, and establish boundaries with people that drain us.

The full moon calls us to slow down and chill out, meditate, dance to release energy, let go of emotional baggage, forgive self and others, charge crystals, and cleanse home and office spaces. It’s a good time to manifest goals; nurture passions; encourage strength, power, love, knowledge, money and dreams; and practice gratitude and rituals for prophecy and protection.

The Thriving Mindfully Moon Circles were created to celebrate the connection we each have to the moon and to empower you with tools, resources, sacred space, and a diverse community to be and do the REAL YOU.

Each month, the Thriving Moon Circles celebrate the new moon and full moon at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW, in Washington, DC. Online moon circles are also held via Zoom. During each moon circle, you will learn how to:

• Make the moon your BFF, Bae, and Boo with mindful self-care practices including meditation, gentle yoga, reiki, crystal therapy, chakra sound healing, and other rituals from around the world.
• Dive deep into yourself and discover your sweet spots, spicy edges, and stuff that has you stuck in fear, doubt, lack, limitation, resentment, and/or resistance.
• Shine light on and begin to release and forgive what no longer serves you.
• Set intentions that will help support you in being and doing the REAL YOU.
• Commit to your intentions and receive tips on creating an action plan that focuses on small steps, accountability, and self-celebration.

Join me for the Thriving Mindfully Moon Circles in DC on January 10th and 24th. The Online Thriving Mindfully Moon Circles will be held on January 12th and 23rd. See details below.

• DC Thriving Mindfully Circle – Full Moon in Cancer on January 10th from 8:30-10 p.m. at Qi Kratom CBD Tea ($30)
• Online Thriving Mindfully Circle – Full Moon in Cancer on January 12th from 7-8:30 p.m. at ET ($30)
• Online Thriving Mindfully Circle – New Moon in Aquarius on January 23rd from 8-9:30 p.m. ET ($30)
• DC Thriving Mindfully Circle – New Moon in Aquarius on January 24th from 8:30-10 p.m. at Qi Kratom CBD Tea ($30)

Ladies, do you want to start 2020 with grace, ease, and a commitment to self-care? 

Take a pause for your own cause — your own well-being and join me for Thriving Mindfully as YOU in 2020 & Beyond, a two-day online women’s personal development retreat on Saturday, January 25th (7-9PM ET) and Sunday, January 26th (3-5PM ET).

Sign up here ($107) and invite your friends to join you.

During the women’s online retreat, you will have time to:

• Reflect on who YOU have become
• Explore how you have loved, valued, and honored yourself
• Find out who or what’s been getting in your way
• Dive deep and discover the YOU that you want to be in the new year and the new decade
• Practice mindful self-care with meditation, gentle office yoga, and journaling exercises
• Identify the resources, action steps, and accountability support you need to manifest the woman you want to become in 2020 and beyond
• Create a self-celebration plan to appreciate your small, medium, and big wins in 2020 and beyond

A Zoom video link will be emailed to you once you register for the women’s online retreat.

ONE-ON-ONE COACHING: I love coaching and supporting people just like you who are committed to exploring mindfulness, meditation, and mindful self-care in their lives. Contact me at ananda@anandaleeke.com if you need more support. We can set up a free 20-minute consultation call to discuss how we can work together. I offer an hourly rate and three-month and six-month packages.

That Which Awakens Me, a mindful creativity memoir by Ananda Leeke

MINDFULNESS, SELF-CARE & YOGA-INSPIRED BOOKS: Check out my three mindfulness books here: Love’s Troubadours, a yoga-inspired novel; That Which Awakens Me, a mindful creativity memoir; and Digital Sisterhood, a mindful technology memoir. My books make great gifts for yourself and others.

Are you feeling stressed this holiday season?

First things first. If you are stressed, know that you are not alone. Stress impacts everyone. It happens when we experience pressure or a situation that exceeds our ability to cope. It’s also one of the main sources of wear-and-tear on our spirits, minds, bodies, and relationships.

In the United States, the most common sources of stress include work, money, the current political climate, the future of the nation, violence, and crime.

Guess which ones are the most common among adults?

Here’s how the American Psychological Association’s (APA) 2017 Stress in America survey answered the question.

• #1 – The Future of the Nation, 63% of adults (specific issues include health care – 43%, economy – 35%, trust in government – 32%, crime and hate crimes – 31%, terrorist attacks – 30%, high taxes – 28%, social security – 26%, and government controversies and scandals – 25%
• #2 – Money, 62% of adults
• #3 – Work, 61% of adults
• #4 – Current Political Climate, 57% of adults
• #5 – Violence and Crime, 51% of adults

Read the 2017 Stress in America survey here.

When you experience stress, use my S-T-R-E-S-S tool to recharge yourself and practice mindful self-care.

S: Stop when you notice you are stressed out.

T: Take a moment to breathe deeply.

R: Reflect on what’s happening in your body, spirit, heart, and mind.

E: Energize yourself with deep breathing and/or mindful movement to release the stress.

S: Set an intention to practice mindful self-care.

S: Start where you are with a small step that allows you to practice mindful self-care.

Listen to the Thriving Mindfully Podcast episode for mindful self-care support and tips on how to outsmart stress with mindfulness and meditation.

Did you know journaling can help you slow down and outsmart stress with mindfulness? Listen to the Thriving Mindfully Podcast episode on mindful journaling to learn more.

Got a lot of household chores to do before you host family and friends in your home? Stressed out with it all? Gratitude could be your new stress-free BFF.

Check out what I had to say about using mindfulness to practice gratitude in your daily tasks in Medium’s Forge Magazine article,”How to Practice Gratitude While Cooking, Doing Laundry, and Commuting” by Claire Leaden.

Join me for the Winter Solstice Celebration on December 21st and Thriving Mindfully New Moon Circle on December 27th.

• Winter Solstice Celebration on December 21st from 8:30-10PM at Qi Kratom CBD Tea ($40)
• ONLINE Thriving Mindfully New Moon Circle on December 27th from 8-9:30PM ET ($30)

NOTE: This blog post features an excerpt from Thriving Mindfully by Ananda Kiamsha Madelyn Leeke. Copyright 2019 by Madelyn C. Leeke. All rights reserved.

Hey Everybody!

Can you believe August is here? That means we are into the eighth month of 2019. That also means we still have time to dive deep into the Thriving Mindfully Summer of Self-Care (ends on September 20th).

WHAT IS THE THRIVING MINDFULLY  SUMMER OF SELF-CARE?

I launched the Thriving Mindfully Summer of Self-Care, a three-month journey that encourages us all to nurture our spirits, hearts, minds, bodies, breath, and lives, on the Summer Solstice, June 21st (ends on September 20th). It is designed to help us do three things:

• Remember and accept we are worthy of and deserve self-care.
• Nurture our spirit, heart, mind, body, breath, and life with self-care each day.
• Offer ourselves a dose of the Big 5 — loving kindness, compassion, patience, nonjudgment, and forgiveness — when we don’t show up fully and practice self-care the way we’d like to.

Read my blog here to learn more about it. If what I’m sharing resonates with you, join the Thriving Mindfully Summer of Self-Care. Share it with your family, friends, and colleagues.

Start the Thriving Mindfully Summer of Self-Care when you feel called to. Use the resources that resonate with you the best. Do only what works for you. Do you boo!

Before you start… Grab your favorite beverage and take some time to explore my June and July blog posts that include a self-care pledge, tips on creating self-care rituals, journaling exercises, podcast episodes, and a class and workshop schedule!

• June blog: Join the Thriving Mindfully Summer of Self-Care
• June blog: Practice Self-Care This Summer with a Recipe of Weekly Themes
• July blog: Let’s Claim Our Freedom with Mindful Self-Care in July

EVENTS

Plan to join me for the Thriving Mindfully Summer of Self-Care events in August and September.

• Free Mindful Monday Meditation class on Mondays from 6:15-7:30 PM at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW in DC (No class on Labor Day)
• Free Thriving Mindfully Meetup Group’s Monthly Saturday Morning Meditation Class in Malcom X Park on Saturdays, August 24, and September 14 from 9:30-10AM in DC
• Thriving Mindfully Meditation for Social Justice Activists ($15) on second and fourth Thursdays of each month: August 8th and 22nd and September 12 and 26 from 7:15-8 p.m. at Eaton Wellness DC, 1201 K Street, NW in DC
• Free Facebook Live Meditation Class on Tuesday, September 10th from 9-9:30PM ET – Facebook.com/AnandaLeeke64
• Be Mindful at Work Workshop on August 18th from 6:30-8:30PM ET at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW in DC ($35)
• Be Mindful at Work Workshop on August 24th from 3-5PM ET via Zoom ($35)
• Thriving Mindfully Moon Circle – Full Moon on September 14 from 8:30-10PM at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW in DC ($20) – Register online.
  Autumn Equinox Celebration on September 22 from 6:30-8PM at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW in DC ($20) – Register online.
  Thriving Mindfully Moon Circle – New Moon on September 27 from 8:30-10PM at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW in DC ($20) – Register online.

EMBRACE A MINDFUL SELF-CARE MINDSET IN AUGUST!

This month, dive deep into creating and using a mindful self-care mindset. Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of this concept. I got you boo!

Also, what you’re about to read and experience is from my upcoming book and journal, Thriving Mindfully. Enjoy!

LET’S START WITH A MINDFUL MOMENT EXERCISE

Take 3-7 deep cleansing breaths. Start with breathing in through nose and out through your mouth. Return to breathing normally and naturally. Allow yourself to sit, stand, or lay still for a few moments as you check in with your body. Notice how your body feels. If your mind wanders and gets distracted by thoughts, sound or physical sensations. It’s okay. Distractions are normal and natural. They are a part of being human. Take a deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth as you return to the present moment.

CONGRATS! You practiced mindful self-care!

ARE YOU READY?

Before we get started with looking at the meaning of the phrase mindful self-care mindset, grab a journal or piece of paper and something to write with. You may want to take notes. Spoiler Alert: There are some journaling exercises coming up!

WHAT IS A MINDFUL SELF-CARE MINDSET?

• Mindful refers to your birthright of mindfulness, the ability to be aware of what’s happening inside and outside of yourself in the present moment. Mindfulness becomes a practice when you choose to use it and actually take actions to use it.
• Self-Care is the act of nurturing your spirit, heart, mind, body, breath, and life with anything that uplifts your well-being. Self-care is also your birthright. You are born with it. You are worthy of it. You deserve it. It becomes a mindful practice when you claim, embrace, and use it.
• Mindset consists of your way of thinking and beliefs that shape how you live.

JOURNALING EXERCISES

First, take as much time as you need to answer these questions. Second, explore the ones that resonate with you the most. Leave the rest behind. Third, Do you boo!

1. What are your current beliefs about self-care?
2. Do you believe you are worthy of self-care? Why or why not?
3. What does self-care currently look and feel like in your life?
4. What are your barriers to practicing self-care?
5. What would you like self-care to look and feel like in your life?
6. What do you need to practice self-care (time, support, ideas, funding, books, podcasts, videos, classes, workshops, coaching, peer group, and/or free resources)?
7. What is one thing you can do to create and use your mindful self-care mindset in the next 7 days?
8. What are 3 things you can do to create and use your mindful self-care mindset in the next 30, 60 or 90 days?
9. Who will serve as your accountability partner or team to help you stay on track with your mindful self-care practices?
10. How will you celebrate your small, medium, and big wins in creating and using your mindful self-care mindset in the next 30, 60 or 90 days?

MINDFUL MOMENT BREAK

After you finish journaling, I encourage you to take a mindful moment break.

Take 3-7 deep cleansing breaths. Start with breathing in through nose and out through your mouth. Return to breathing normally and naturally. Allow yourself to sit, stand, or lay still for a few moments as you check in with your body. Notice how your body feels. If your mind wanders and gets distracted by thoughts, sound or physical sensations. It’s okay. Distractions are normal and natural. They are a part of being human. Take a deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth as you return to the present moment.

CONGRATS! You practiced mindful self-care!

CREATE YOUR MINDFUL SELF-CARE MINDSET STATEMENT

Before you create your mindful self-care mindset statement, take a look at the one I created: I release and forgive any lack, limitation, fear, judgment, separation or resistance I have created in my beliefs about self-care. I deserve, embrace, and practice mindful self-care daily with small steps. I offer myself loving kindness, compassion, nonjudgment, patience and forgiveness as I grow into the full expression of my mindful self-care mindset. I forgive myself daily for the ways in which I fall short of expressing my mindful self-care mindset. I celebrate my small, medium, and big wins in expressing my mindful self-care mindset. I am grateful I get to express my mindful self-care mindset in everything I am called to be, feel, think, say, and do.

I started with a statement about releasing and forgiving the things I have created that have prevented me from fully claiming mindful self-care as my birthright. I included  intention, celebrate, and gratitude statements to help ground and guide me each day.

Now that you know what I wrote, it’s time for you to get started on creating your own mindful self-care mindset statement. Here are a few tips.

• Explore your current beliefs about your worthiness and self-care. Do they need to be released and/or forgiven?
• Review the  barriers you journaled about. Do they need to be released and/or forgiven?
• What type of self-care do you deserve?
• What type of self-care support do you need?

Your responses should give you plenty of food for thought and inspiration to create your mindful self-care mindset statement.

HOW TO USE YOUR MINDFUL SELF-CARE MINDSET 

Whenever we decide to transform our way of being, thinking, and living, we are entering the land of change. How do you embrace change?

I often resist it. My resistance has taught me I cannot escape it. I have learned change requires action. I have discovered the only way to deal with change is to “DO” change. For me that requires a daily routine of small action steps with support from my accountability partners.

The small steps I take each day add up to progress and expand my ability take medium and big steps over time. Checking in with my accountability partners on a weekly or as needed basis gives me the support I need to move through my process and navigate any internal or external barriers. Celebrating my small steps affirms my progress and energizes me to continue moving forward.

With this game plan, I’m trusting that by the time I get to September 20th (the end of the journey), I will have the makings of a regular routine to support my commitment to practice mindful self-care.

How will you use your mindful self-care mindset statement to support your commitment to practice mindful self-care?

NEED MORE HELP WITH YOUR MINDFUL SELF-CARE PRACTICES?

Let’s set up a complimentary 20-minute call (phone or via Zoom) to discuss how I can help you as a mindful living coaching, mindfulness meditation and gentle yoga teacher, and reiki master practitioner: ananda@anandaleeke.com.

Happy July! Belated Happy New Moon and Solar Eclipse (happened on July 2nd)!

When you hear the word FREEDOM what comes to mind? What does FREEDOM mean to you? What does FREEDOM look like in your life? How does it feel?

I define FREEDOM as being fully myself. It’s showing up fully as myself. It’s knowing I am worthy. It’s valuing myself. It’s accepting and loving myself as I am … all parts of myself … which is a life long journey.

The personal and professional development work I have been doing as a lululemon luminary with an amazing community of 19 dynamic women in the DC area since May has helped me dive deep into exploring what it takes to know I am free on a daily basis. For me, it starts with my spiritual practices grounded in mindful self-care.

Tune into the Thriving Mindfully Podcast to learn more about claiming your freedom with mindful self-care.

PS: The photos above were taken by photographer Karlin Villondo during one of the lululemon luminaries’ session.

Looking for new moon and solar eclipse reflections, check out MysticMamma.com here.

My lululemon luminary experience inspired me to launch the Thriving Mindfully Summer of Self-Care, a three-month journey that encourages us all to nurture our spirits, hearts, minds, bodies, breath, and lives on the Summer Solstice, June 21st (ends on September 20th). I invite you to join me on this journey. Start it when you feel called to. Use the resources that resonate with you the best. Do only what works for you. Do you boo!

Before you start…

Before you start your self-care journey, read my blog here to learn more about the Thriving Mindfully Summer of Self-Care (includes free tips and resources). Check out the weekly themes I created to encourage us all to do one thing per day to nurture ourselves. Go to my blog for more resources. 

• Slow Down Sunday
• Mindful Monday
• Time Management Tuesday
• Wellness Wednesday
• Thankful Thursday
• Fun-day Friday
• Savor Your Life Saturday

Be sure to take the self-care pledge too!

Need self-care resources?

Check out the Thriving Mindfully Podcast episodes below.

• Episode: Claiming your freedom with mindful self-care
• Episode: Tips for prepping for the self-care pledge
• Episode: What is your self-care journey?
• Episode: Investing in mindful self-care and lululemon luminaries
• Episode: Mindful self-care and the power of rituals
• Episode: Practice self-care with a recipe of weekly themes during the Thriving Mindfully Summer of Self-Care
• Episode: It’s time to create a mindful self-care toolkit

Let’s Practice Mindful Self-Care Together During My DC and Online Workshops and Classes

Be sure to check out the schedule of workshops and classes below. Some workshops and classes will be held in DC and others will be held online via Facebook Live and Zoom. I hope you will join me at one or more of them!

DC Events

Workshops

• RECHARGE! workshops on July 7th and August 4th from 6:30-8:30 PM at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW in DC ($35)
• Open Your Heart to Mindful Creativity Workshop on July 21st from 6:30-8:30PM at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW in DC ($35)
• Be Mindful at Work Workshop on August 18th from 6:30-8:30PM at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW in DC ($35)

Weekly and Monthly Classes

• Free Mindful Monday Meditation class on Mondays from 6:15-7:30 PM at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW in DC
• Free Thriving Mindfully Meetup Group’s Monthly Saturday Morning Meditation Class in Malcom X Park on Saturdays,  July 13, August 24, and September 14 from 9:30-10AM in DC
• Thriving Mindfully Meditation for Social Justice Activists ($15) on second and fourth Thursdays of each month: July 25th, August 8th and 22nd, September 12 and 26, October 10 and 24, November 8, no class on November 22 due to Thanksgiving, and December 12 and 26 from 7:15-8 p.m. at Eaton Wellness DC, 1201 K Street, NW in DC

Online Events

• Free Facebook Live Meditation Classes on Tuesdays, July 16th, August 6th, and September 10th from 9-9:30PM ET – Facebook.com/AnandaLeeke64
• RECHARGE! workshops on July 6th and August 3rd from 3-5PM ET via Zoom ($35)
• Open Your Heart to Mindful Creativity Workshop on July 23rd from 8-10PM ET via Zoom ($35)
• Mindful Communication with Self and Others Workshop on July 28th from 6-8PM ET via Zoom ($35)
• Be Mindful at Work Workshop on August 24th from 3-5PM ET via Zoom ($35)

Have you heard about my Thriving Mindfully Summer of Self-Care?

My journey as a lululemon luminary inspired me to launch the Thriving Mindfully Summer of Self-Care. It’s a three-month journey designed to do three things in our lives.

• Remember and accept we are worthy of and deserve self-care.
• Nurture our spirit, heart, mind, body, breath, and life with self-care each day.
• Offer ourselves a dose of the Big 5 — loving kindness, compassion, patience, nonjudgment, and forgiveness — when we don’t show up fully and practice self-care the way we’d like to.

I invite you to join me on this self-care journey that will include online and DC-based meditation and mindfulness classes and workshops, inspiring blog and social media posts, and videos and podcasts with reflections, journaling exercises, guided meditation, tips, and resources. Read more about it here.

In case you are wondering how you can practice self-care each day, I have created a recipe of weekly themes you can use as a resource for getting started.

• Slow Down Sunday
• Mindful Monday
• Time Management Tuesday
• Wellness Wednesday
• Thankful Thursday
• Fun-day Friday
• Savor Your Life Saturday

Listen to the Thriving Mindfully Podcast for more information about my self-care recipe of weekly themes and how to use them to identify one thing you can do each day to honor yourself.

Happy First Day of Summer! Happy Summer Solstice!

Summer is a great time to slow down and take better care of ourselves. When I say self-care, I am talking about anything you use to nurture your spirit, heart, mind, body, breath, and life (that is legal … the lawyer in me loves to say legal!).

The first six months of 2019 have been SUPER BUSY for many of us. Does that sound like you? It’s definitely ME. I didn’t realize how much I needed to slow down and deepen my self-care practices until I had an emotional meltdown a few weeks ago and realized I had been giving a lot of myself to my business without really taking great care of myself. That realization came while sitting in a workshop facilitated as a part of the lululemon luminaries program I was selected to participate in. Thanks to the folks at lululemon and WE and my amazing 19 fellow luminaries, I am using the program to re-invest in my self-care.

Listen to my Thriving Mindfully Podcast here to learn more about my lululemon luminary experience.

Join the Thriving Mindfully Summer of Self-Care

My journey as a lululemon luminary inspired me to launch the Thriving Mindfully Summer of Self-Care. It’s a three-month journey designed to do three things in our lives.

1. Remember and accept we are worthy of and deserve self-care.
2. Nurture our spirit, heart, mind, body, breath, and life with self-care each day.
3. Offer ourselves a dose of the Big 5 — loving kindness, compassion, patience, nonjudgment, and forgiveness — when we don’t show up fully and practice self-care the way we’d like to.

I invite you to join me on this self-care journey that will include online and DC-based meditation and mindfulness classes and workshops, inspiring blog and social media posts, and videos and podcasts with reflections, journaling exercises, guided meditation, tips, and resources.

Wanna know what Thriving Mindfully is? Listen to the Thriving Mindfully Podcast here.

SPECIAL MESSAGE

You can start the journey at any point during the three-month period. Only do what resonates with your spirit. Go at your own pace. Use everything I am providing in the way that best suits you. Take what works and leave the rest behind.

Let’s Get Started: Centering & Journaling Exercise About Your Self-Care Journey

Take a moment to get your favorite journal, paper, and pen. While you’re at it, get your favorite beverage and snack.

When you are ready and settled, take five to seven deep breaths. Allow yourself to breathe normally and naturally as you notice how your body feels. Become aware of where you feel your breath most in the body. Take a moment to appreciate yourself for taking a self-care break in your day. Take three deep cleansing breaths — inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. When you’re done, read the questions below and write your responses in your journal or on your paper. Take as much time as you need.

• What’s your self-care journey?
• What your first self-care memory as an adult?
• What does self-care look like in your life now?
• What do you want self-care to look like in your life this summer

Journaling Exercise About Your Self-Care Rituals

My self-care journey started 30 years ago. I was fresh out of law school. My days were filled with bar exam preparation. My stress level was at an all-time high. Overwhelmed was my first, middle, and last names. My mom suggested I start walking to release some of the stress. Thanks to her I started a walking self-care practice that grew into jogging and later running.

My fitness exercise became a self-care ritual (a ritual is an act or behavior done on a regular basis). Sipping tea in the morning; buying flowers for my home; practicing meditation, yoga, and reiki; saying positive affirmations; reading astrology updates and new thought spiritual devotionals; burning incense, sage, and candles; making vision boards; wearing and using crystals and chakras; journaling; chanting mantras with my mala beads; using African goddess and other tarot, archetype, and healing cards; listening to sound Tibetan healing bowls and other healing music; attending sound baths; and observing the new and full moons, equinoxes, and solstices entered my life years later. They also became self-care rituals.

Get your journal and pen out. Before you being writing, take five to seven deep breaths. Allow yourself to breathe normally and naturally as you notice how your body feels. Become aware of where you feel your breath most in the body. Take a moment to appreciate yourself for taking a self-care break in your day. Take three deep cleansing breaths — inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. When you’re done, read the questions below and write your responses in your journal or on your paper. Take as much time as you need.

• Do you have any self-care rituals?
• How do they make you feel?
• What kind of self-care rituals would you like to incorporate into your life this summer?

PODCAST RESOURCES TO HELP YOU EXPLORE YOUR SELF-CARE JOURNEY

My Thriving Mindfully Podcast series has tons of resources you can use to support your self-care journey. I have included a few episodes below that may help you deepen your understanding and practice of self-care. Enjoy and remember to listen to the episodes that really resonate with your spirit, heart, mind, and body. Take what you need from each episode and leave the rest behind. Do what works for you boo!

• Episode: What is your self-care journey?
• Episode: Investing in mindful self-care and lululemon luminaries
• Episode: Mindful self-care and the power of rituals
• Episode: Practice self-care with a recipe of weekly themes during the Thriving Mindfully Summer of Self-Care
• Episode: It’s time to create a mindful self-care toolkit

Take the Thriving Mindfully Summer of Self-Care Pledge

Before you begin the three-month journey, take the Thriving Mindfully Self-Care Pledge. It will help you honor your self-care commitment.

Prep Tips for the Pledge

Before you take the pledge, take a moment to get still with five to seven breaths. Read the pledge to yourself two or three times. Let the words sink into your spirit, heart, mind, and body. Take five or more minutes to reflect on the the first and second statements that have fill-in the blanks. Turn the reflection into a journaling exercise.

Listen to the Thriving Mindfully Podcast here or watch the video below to learn more about the pledge and how it can help you.

Thriving Mindfully Summer of Self-Care DC and Online Workshops and Classes

Be sure to check out the schedule of workshops and classes here (more dates will be added in the coming weeks). Some workshops and classes will be held in DC and others will be held online via Facebook Live and Zoom. I hope you will join me at one or more of them!

DC Events

Workshops

• Celebrate the Summer Solstice Workshop on June 21st from 8:30-10PM at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW in DC ($20)
• RECHARGE! workshop on July 7th and August 4th from 6:30-8:30 PM at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW in DC ($35)
• Open Your Heart to Mindful Creativity Workshop on July 21st from 6:30-8:30PM at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW in DC ($35)
• Be Mindful at Work Workshop on August 18th from 6:30-8:30PM at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW in DC ($35)

Weekly and Monthly Classes

• Free Mindful Monday Meditation class on Mondays from 6:15-7:30 PM at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW
• Free Thriving Mindfully Meetup Group’s Monthly Saturday Morning Meditation Class in Malcom X Park on Saturdays, June 29, July 13, August 24, and September 14 from 9:30-10AM. Visit the Meetup page for more details.

Online Events

• Free Facebook Live Meditation Classes on Tuesdays, June 25, July 16th, August 6th, and September 10th from 9-9:30PM ET – Facebook.com/AnandaLeeke64
• Open Your Heart to Mindful Creativity Workshop on June 30th from 7-9PM ET via Zoom ($35)
• RECHARGE! workshops on July 6th and August 3rd from 3-5PM ET via Zoom ($35)
• Open Your Heart to Mindful Creativity Workshop on July 23rd from 8-10PM ET via Zoom ($35)
• Be Mindful at Work Workshop on July 28th from 6-8PM ET via Zoom ($35)
• Mindful Communication with Self and Others on August 24th from 3-5PM ET via Zoom ($35)