Embracing Your Inner Feline
For those of you who haven't met my ridiculously sweet cat Jade, this is her napping on my desk.
Because of the state of the world, for the past four months, I've spent pretty much twenty-four hours, seven days a week with her. Here are a few things I've noticed.
Jade:
Asks for what she wants.
Doesn't get embarrassed and is always ready to play.
Enjoys her food (a lot).
And...her stress level is way low. How can I tell? Uh, look at that photo.
So, I wondered, what would my life be like if I adopted some of her cattitudes? Here’s what I came up with.
Self-care
Ask myself what I need and find a way to get it. Being alone through these past few months hasn't been easy, so I've had to get creative when I need something. For example, when my neck was out, each day for a week I rolled around on the floor with a tennis ball beneath my neck, easing the pain and working it back into place. I've also come to love massaging my own calves with a self-roller called The Stick.
Let Go of Embarrassment
I have been dancing around my living room to fun songs each night like no one is watching (wait, no one is watching). It feels fantastic to dance and play and not worry about how I may look. No embarrassment here. I'm even thinking of challenging myself to make a montage video of some lip-sync and silly dance moves. Stay tuned for that.
Love Food More
Is it possible to love food more than I already do? Yes, it is. I am having fun writing about mindful eating and conscious cooking and creating new recipes for the new book I'm working on called, The Cookbook for People Who Can't Eat Anything. Exploring new flavors, resurrecting old recipes, and giving them a new twist is not only challenging and stimulating, it is also nourishing for all aspects of me: body, mind, and spirit.
Embrace Ease and Peace
I've always put pressure on myself to do more, even when I am physically riddled with symptoms. Jade reminds me that some of what I've been missing in my life is simply being, not doing. I watch her and notice how she lives in the moment, completely at ease with herself and her surroundings. It’s inspiring. Now every night before bed we just hang out on the floor, look out at the night sky and just be. It's serene and restorative, and I can feel the stress melt away.
With the world in such transformation, it’s now more important than ever to anchor ourselves in self-care, to let go and play, to nourish our bodies with healthy and delicious food, and focus on living with ease and peace.
What can you do to practice better self-care? What is something you’ve always wanted to try but were too embarrassed or didn’t feel confident enough to attempt? How can you release what you’ve been clinging to? Are there simple and fun ways you can enhance your eating and cooking experiences? What ways can you relax and just be?
If Jade could talk, I think she’d say to focus on the me-now and enjoy each day you get, for there is beauty and joy in the present.
Wishing you love, peace, and ease,
