Summer Serenity: Prioritizing Mental Well-being

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the constant pressure to be productive, especially during the busy summer months? This Lift One Self podcast episode tackles the mental health challenges we face amidst environmental changes like heat waves and flooding. I, your host NatNat, reflect on the significance of community support and the necessity to adapt. Through meaningful conversations, we address the need to prioritize mental health and find joy in simple activities, challenging the relentless drive for productivity. Remember, you're not alone in this journey.

In the latter part of this episode, we immerse ourselves in a guided meditation that will help you find a state of relaxation and centeredness. I'll guide you through deep breathing exercises to regulate your nervous system and release tension. This meditation aims to ground you in the present moment, allowing you to let go of overwhelming emotions and create a peaceful space between your awareness and thoughts. Join me to embrace moments of rest and play and nurture your mental well-being this summer.

As mentioned, here is the link to try Magic Mind for free: https://magicmind.com/LIFTONESELFTRIAL
With my code LIFTONESELFTRIAL

Chapters

• 0:01 Navigating Mental Health Pressures in Summer
• 11:41 Guided Meditation for Relaxation and Centering

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Welcome to the Lift One Self podcast where we break mental health stigmas through conversations. I'm your host, nat Nat, and we dive into topics about trauma and how it impacts the nervous system.

Speaker 2: 0:15

Yet we don't just leave you there.

Speaker 1: 0:17

We share insights and tools of self-care meditation and growth that help you be curious about your own biology. Your presence matters. Please like and subscribe to our podcast. Help our community grow. Let's get into this. Oh, and please remember to be kind to yourself. Hello, beautiful souls, and welcome back to Lift One's Self. I'm your host, nat. Nat, and I am so grateful to have you here with me today. I hope you're enjoying the summer wherever you are, and some of you are enjoying the winter because this podcast is reached internationally, in different parts of the world, so I just want to meet you where you are.

Speaker 1: 1:10

My season is summer right now, and we've been going through a lot of heat waves and some rainstorms, and just yesterday, just south of me in Toronto, there was a lot of flooding, and these are, you know, the world that we're living in, with the environment being impacted, and we're having to adapt to being in a world that is different than what we knew it to be. I also was speaking with a client last week who's in Northern California and they're going on their third week of a heat wave and they experience temperatures of 115 Fahrenheit. That's breaking records. So it's something that we can no longer deny that there is change in the weather patterns in the environment, and that's where we, you know, really have to be responsible for our actions, be responsible for our fear and allow there to be a slowing down and create community so that we can support each other as humans. Today I wanted to dive into the topic of mental health and the pressures of the world, especially as we find ourselves in the heart of summer and, you know, in about seven weeks we're going into September, which then means a few weeks after that we're going into fall. So how are you enjoying your summer? How are you using the time as a tool and not a toy? Summer is a time for play, joy and relaxation, but it also can be a time when the pressures of life feel particularly intense, and especially with the political arena down South in the US, it's being felt palpable around the world and I just want to take that moment to hold space for that and just allow ourselves to just take an exhale. With that and just like it really activates the sense of helplessness and trying to find control when it's like be in your story, activate the joy in your experience. So let's take the time together to explore how we can navigate these pressures and truly enjoy the season.

Speaker 1: 3:53

The modern world can be overwhelming, from work responsibilities to social obligations and the constant barrage of information from our digital devices. It's no wonder that so many of us feel stressed and anxious. Mental health is something we all need to prioritize, not just in the moments when we are struggling, but as a constant proactive practice. Yet many of us don't even have any tools that we've cultivated or even able to acknowledge that. You know what I need help. There's something going on.

Speaker 1: 4:34

The summer season, with its long days and warm weather, offers us a unique opportunity to reconnect with ourselves and find a sense of balance. It's a time when nature is in full bloom and we can draw inspiration from the beauty around us. Yet even in this seemingly perfect season, we can feel the weight of the world pressing down on us. One of the most significant pressures we can face is the expectation to be constantly productive. Who can relate to that? That there always have to be doing, doing or creating or, you know, be on top of something? We're conditioned to believe that our worth is tied to our output, and this could lead to burnout. Summer can be a time to challenge this notion. Allow yourself to take breaks, to rest and to engage in activities that bring you joy, without any pressures to achieve, just be, achieve, just be. Whether it's reading a book in the park, swimming in the ocean or simply lying in the grass and watching the clouds pass by, these moments of play and relaxation are crucial for our mental well-being.

Speaker 1: 6:01

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Speaker 1: 6:29

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Speaker 1: 7:22

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Speaker 1: 8:46

Another common pressure is the need to maintain a certain image or meet societal expectations. Unfortunately, with social media, we're often bombarded with images of perfect summer bodies, glamorous vacations and seemingly flawless lives. It's important to remember that these are often curated highlights, not the full story. Your journey is unique and it's okay to embrace your own pace and path. Focus on what makes you feel good. Haste and count. Focus on what makes you feel good, rather than what you think you should be doing or how you should look. As you always hear me say, life is messy. Allow yourself to be in that messiness.

Speaker 1: 9:37

Connection is also vital for our mental health. Summer is a great time to strengthen relationships with loved ones, friends and even ourselves. Spend quality time with those who uplift you. Engage in meaningful conversations and don't be afraid to seek support if you need it. Sometimes, just talking about what's on your mind can be incredibly freeing. You know, the service that I provide is in regulating the nervous system and creating safe spaces. It can be so challenging for us to be honest with ourselves, let alone be honest with somebody else, and reveal our naked truth. Yet when you can create really solid connections, that is the gold you're looking for. That is the wealth and richness you're looking for.

Speaker 1: 10:36

Lastly, let's not forget the power of nature in supporting our mental health. Studies have shown that spending time outdoor can reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Whether it's a hike in the mountains, a walk on the beach or simply sitting in your backyard, nature has a way of grounding us and bringing us back to the present moment. Take your shoes off, take those socks off and get your feet dirty, touching the ground. Grounding is a real thing. Our nervous systems have magnets with the grounding of the earth. Become one with what you are a part of. As we navigate the pressures of the world, let's remember that it's okay to slow down, to play and to enjoy the simple pleasures of summer. Give your permission sorry about that. Give yourself permission to take care of your mental health, to find joy in the little things and, most of all, to be kind to yourself.

Speaker 1: 11:41

Now I invite you to join me in a guided meditation. Let's just be for a moment to regulate our nervous system and come out of our heads and drop into our bodies. So I'm going to ask you to find a comfortable place to sit or lie down and if you need to do that, just put pause and do that. And when you're here, close your eyes and take a deep breath in and out through your nose. And take a deep breath in and out through your nose and let's take the next 10 minutes to truly relax and center ourselves. Now you're going to begin breathing in and out through your nose. You're not going to try and control your breath, you're just going to keep your awareness on watching your breath go in and out through your nose. There may be some sensations or feelings coming up in your body. It's okay, let them come up. You're safe to feel. You're safe to feel. You're safe to let go.

Speaker 1: 12:56

Surrender the need to control, release the need to resist and just be, be with your breath, drop into your body. Now you may notice that you have some thoughts or memories popping up, and that's okay. Gently, bring your awareness back to your breath, creating a space between your awareness and your thoughts. It's not about shutting it off. It's about keeping your focus on the breath and releasing, being identified with those thoughts, with the nervous system, and just keep your awareness on your breath and dropping deeper into your body.

Speaker 1: 13:59

And if some of you are feeling some really overwhelm in the system or it's getting uncomfortable to sit still, just take a few deep breaths in through your nose and hold it for a few seconds and then exhale it out your mouth. Deep breath in through your nose again, hold it and out through your mouth. Feel your body relaxing with each breath. Let go of any tension in your shoulders, your neck, your back. When you've done those deep breath cycles, come back to breathing in and out of your nose, keeping your awareness on your breath. You're safe to feel. You're safe to let go. Surrender the need to control. Release the need to control. Release the need to resist and just be.

Speaker 1: 15:21

Drop deeper into your body as you continue with your breath and focusing on your breath. Allow your mind to let go of the worries or stress. There's nowhere you need to be. There's no to-do list that you need to do. There's no problems you need to solve right now. Focus on your breath, which is always in the present moment. Allow there to be an ease in the body. Continue staying with your breath and dropping deeper into your body. Allow there to be a sensation of joy, of laughter, of loved ones. Continue staying with your breath, allowing your heart to open up, allowing the tension to just ease out of the body.

Speaker 1: 16:56

Continue staying with your breath again, if there's any thoughts or memories that are trying to pull you in. It's okay. Simply bring your awareness to your breath, creating that space between the thoughts in your awareness and watching your breath go in. By now, there may be some things that you're hearing way in the far way you weren't aware of before. There may be some scents or things you're smelling. Just let them pass through you while still staying with your breath. You may notice that your breath has changed rhythm and you're staying with your breath, allowing there to be a deeper relaxation, slowing down, also an appreciation for being you. Continue staying with your breath. While staying with your breath, bring your attention to your heart. Feel the love and compassion you have for yourself and for some that might be challenging to feel. Yet I invite you to allow yourself to feel the love and compassion that's already within you. Acknowledge that you are doing your best, that you are worthy of love and happiness. Continue staying with your breath and dropping deeper into your body, allowing there to be a surrender of the control and releasing the resistance, the apprehension facing the fear and allowing it to be integrated and dissolved. Just be in the moment, dissolve, just be. Feel the love from within. Feel the appreciation for being you. Continue staying with your breath, taking some deep breaths in through your nose. I'm going to feel a sense of calm and relaxation washing over you, still staying with your breath. I'm going to ask you to repeat these affirmations, silently or out loud I am enough. I am deserving of peace. I embrace the joy of the present moment. I am enough. I am deserving of peace. I embrace the joy of the present moment. I am deserving of peace. I embrace the joy of the present moment. Continue staying with your breath dropping into your body and allowing there to be an ease and softness. Now, when you're ready, at your own time and at your own pace, you're going to bring your awareness back to the room, to the sounds around you, and you're going to gently open your eyes, carrying the sense of peace with you and keeping your awareness.

Speaker 1: 22:17

I want to thank you for joining me today. I want to thank you for joining me today and remember to be kind to yourself, to take time to play and enjoy this beautiful season. Remember, time is a tool, it's not a toy. You're not guaranteed tomorrow, so appreciate yourself in this moment. You're not needing to achieve something to feel your worth. You don't need to get to some goal to validate yourself. You don't need to be productive to give yourself permission. Be there for yourself. Thank you for listening in. I'm Nat Nat and this is the Lift One Self Podcast. I am wishing you peace, joy and love, and remember the affirmation I am enough. I am deserving of peace. I embrace the joy of the present moment. Thank you for being here.

Speaker 2: 23:37

Hey, you made it all the way here. I appreciate you and your time. If you found value in this conversation, please share it out. If there was somebody that popped into your mind, take action and share it out with them. It possibly may not be them that will benefit. It's that they know somebody that will benefit from listening to this conversation. So please take action and share out the podcast. You can find us on social media on Facebook, instagram and TikTok under Lift One Self, and if you want to inquire about the work that I do and the services that I provide to people, come over on my website. I'm into a discovery call liftoneselfcom. Until next time, please remember to be kind and gentle with yourself.

Speaker 1: 24:31

You matter.