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16Jan

How to Set an Intention that Lasts for Years to Come

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Perfectionism Podcast Stress Management
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set an intention

I was brushing my teeth the other morning when my husband came in and said “Did you set any intentions for this year?”. I laughed and reminded him that, yes, I set so many and we had talked about them, remember? He looked at me and said, “I thought those were all jokes?”. And he was right, they kind of were – finally finish rewatching The OC, bake/eat more cookies, continue to be awesome (j/k), eat more guacamole. 

I thought about it for a minute and asked him “What are your intentions?” and he shared his and I thought about what I really wanted to set as an intention – to get back to walking/hiking more, visit our trails and parks more, have a regular fitness routine. And to wake up and get out of the house on time. 

This was the big one that got me thinking. Logistically, to get out of the house by a certain time, we would need to wake up earlier than we had been last year, which meant get to bed earlier than we had been, which meant a more streamlined evening and nighttime routine. Easier said than done with kids. 

The first week, we maybe got out at the ideal time 3 out of 5 days. 

So, we could look at it two ways:

  1. We didn’t do it. In our first week, we failed at getting out of the house on time watch day. And maybe, it was too hard and we should just forget about it, or push ourselves to do better because we are not good enough yet. It’s pass/fail and we failed. 
  2. We didn’t do it every day, BUT we got three out of 5! That’s an improvement and it is making steps towards this becoming more routine and more easily done. On those days that things did not align ro get out in time, what was going on? Did we not sleep well, were the kids up at night, or did something else happen? What could make it easier – maybe pack lunches or plan clothes the night before, know where our bags are, etc. it’s all about the small wins. 

It’s still the same situation and scenario. Neither way of looking at it changes what happened, but it does change how we continue to move forward with it and what can happen in the future. 

The first viewpoint focuses on what went wrong and how it will not work. It gives no timeframe, no room to improve, and expects it to be right immediately. The second focuses on the truth – it didn’t happen every day – and also on what went well and worked, and ways to shift what didn’t. It gives more time, expects less to start, and focuses on continuing to learn, grow, and move forward. 

It takes it from being a thing to check off on a Resolution “To-Do List” and turns it into a skill to learn and use. 

While this is my intention for the year, it can also transfer into how you go about your stress management and mindset as an SLP this year, especially as you set intentions for the year ahead. 

New Year’s goals aren’t meant to make you perfect, but they can definitely drive perfectionism, which most likely is something you are already grappling with as an SLP. 

One way to shift out of this is to look at your intention for the year (or just for a fresh start at any time) is to look at the goal as a progression, not as perfection. Much like the goals you set for your students. Goals aren’t meant to be mastered immediately. They are meant to be worked up to, little by little, while learning the skills needed to master those goals as you go.

Imagine if you set a goal for your student and expected them to achieve it right away. They (and you) would feel defeated and likely give up after not being able to perfect the enormous amount of skill that reaching that goal right away entailed. You would both probably give up, feel stressed, and feel like you had “failed”. All because you expected it to be perfect right away. 

The same goes for the intention you have for yourself. If you want to work on reducing and managing your stress, then it is ok if you are still feeling stress for days, weeks, or months, or even years, after you begin working on it. It is not about getting it perfect, or reducing it entirely, but about learning new things and growing along the way. 

With perfectionism, the idea is that there aren’t challenges. If things are challenging, and you have to try to learn them and figure it out, then it must be wrong and not for you. But in order to grow and continue to learn, challenge is to only an OK thing, but a welcomed thing. While it seems nice for everything to be simple, easy and challenge-free, if it was that way, life would be stagnant.

Whether your intention is to recycle more, meditate regularly, move your body each day, have a morning routine, hold amazing SLP sessions, or feel less stressed in your work overall, aim for growth rather than perfection. 

Look at the two viewpoints I could take from my intention I mentioned before. 

The first viewpoint focuses on what went wrong and how it will not work. It gives no timeframe, no room to improve, and expects it to be right immediately. The second focuses on the truth – it didn’t happen every day – and also on what went well and worked, and ways to shift what didn’t. It gives more time, expects less to start, and focuses on continuing to learn, grow, and move forward. 

It takes it from being a thing to check off on a Resolution “To-Do List” and turns it into a skill to learn and use. 

When you are setting a goal or intention for yourself, or if you already have, here are a few things to try.

How to Set an Intention that Lasts All Year

  1. What is my expectation? Check in and see if this is something you are planning to have perfect right away or are going to keep working with over time. 
  2. What is my reason for this? Look at what you are setting and connect with it – what is the reason behind it. If you want to get up early, is it because you “should” and you “fail” at mornings, or because you want to ease into your day instead of rush. 
  3. What are some small steps you can take? Instead of an overhaul, look at one tiny thing you can do each week to build into the bigger picture you envision. 
  4. Where is this working? When you restart and as you go, check in and notice the places you are putting into practice, or where your strengths for this are. Then play off of those to help out the places you’re struggling. 

Here is something to remember and to remind yourself of: A little makes a difference.

Even if you are not seeing huge leaps towards your students goals, or you yourself are not making giant steps towards your intentions, that little bit makes all the difference. It is a small step forward, keeping the momentum building and the growth happening. It is not perfect and that means it is not stagnant. It is likely messy and that is learning. 

In fact, small shifts and changes, even little tiny baby steps, are more effective than giant, sweeping changes, because they build gradually over time and are easier to stick with once they are learned. 

So, rather than overhaul your life immediately with your intentions this year, and expect immediate changes with a pass/fail indicator, go for a big intention with small steps to reach it all year and into the years to come. 

When you take this perspective, it can help to give you more freedom and space, to feel less stuck and stressed, and to help with preventing added stress and burnout. 

What small wins did you have with your intentions this year? Share below!

Want some resources to help you keep taking those small steps towards less stress? Make sure to sign up for the FREE resources in The Resilient SLP Toolbox, including yoga classes, meditations and more. 

Sign up below for immediate access:

With Love and Light, 

Jessi

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17Feb

How Mindfulness Helped Me Stop Burnout Before it Started (again)

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Burn Out
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mindfulness helped me stop burnout

If you have been following along with my story and the podcast/blog for a few years, then you have likely heard me talk about my experience with burnout and chronic stress, and how it led me to leave the field, I thought permanently, for nearly 5 years. 

If not, you can hear more about it here.

What you might not have heard me talk about is how burnout and/or chronic stress started to creep back in a year after I came back to the field, even though I thought I was past it.

I took 5 years off from being an SLP, due to the amount of stress I was feeling each day, and how it was growing and affecting my life outside of work. In those 5 years, I worked in my “dream job” as a yoga teacher, mind-body fitness instructor, and assistant studio manager. It allowed me to let go of some of the stress from the demands of the SLP job, but also to learn about stress and the things that can help reduce it from the mind-body perspective. 

When I came back, I worked in teletherapy part-time. My first year, I worked 4 hours to start and eventually went up to 10. I loved every moment of it – the students, the families, the new way to provide therapy, and being able to be at home, with my daughter next door while I worked. It was really nice and had a lot of balance for me. 

The next year changed, though. I still worked for the same schools and company, but two major shifts happened. First, we moved to a new state, to a house that would be our dream home but needed a lot of updates, with a one year old. Second, I picked up twice as many hours, partly because I loved the work the year before and partly because it was more expensive to live where we moved to. I loved the work, but I didn’t realize the pressure that would be there from the move, adjusting to a new place, preschool/daycare, and the amount of hours that I had signed in for.

My schedule was really full that year. I was working hours, but then also had make up hours, paperwork, meetings, etc. Even with my daughter at preschool, I was feeling like I had no time.

I enjoyed being at home, but started to feel trapped by the schedule. There was not much downtime between sessions. And for someone who loves being outside and moving, I was inside, seated a lot. 

I was also trying to find time to work on the SLP Stress Management blog and reach out to other SLPs.

And my self-care practices – I was squeezing them in, without a plan, whenever I could. If i had a no show or a 10 minute break or if I had time before work started or a few minutes after – I was trying to meditate, practice yoga, go on a hike, whatever it might be. 

I was doing things that were good for me, but I felt the stress growing and knew I was headed to burnout. The reason? I wasn’t being mindful.

It’s true – I was pushing so much, and so focused on doing the practices to manage stress, that I was cutting out the mindfulness part and stopping them from actually working. 

Instead, it made them feel like one more thing on my to-do list that I had to squeeze in.

Mindfulness is defined as paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and without judgment. I was somewhat on purpose, not very present (always thinking about “”what’s next?”, and had a lot of judging what I was doing – was it enough, too short, too easy, actually working, etc.

But it was this same mindfulness that made me realize my lack of mindfulness around my practices, and kept me from heading further down the road to burnout. I was doing all the right things – self-care, moving, meditating, time for myself when I could – but feeling worse and worse. My stress was only growing.

Once I took pause to really get mindful – to observe what was happening and how I was experiencing the moment, to be in the moment, and to purposefully pay attention to it – I quickly realized why it wasn’t working. I was constantly trying and pushing to do more for myself, with no plan or mindfulness about it, and it made it much harder, and much less mindful of an experience.

Taking the pause to become mindful allowed me to adjust, to see what I really needed (more small breaks in the day, consistent time for self-care, and a different schedule), and this helped to manage the stress, reduce it, and turn it around before it became burnout. 

By having a mindfulness practice, and being familiar with it, mindfulness helped me stop burnout from starting, and becoming a burned out SLP, again.

If you are practicing some self-care or stress management tools, but seem like the stress is growing here are a few things you can to do help:

  • Take a pause to check in with yourself and see how you are doing, feeling in that moment
  • Bring mindfulness back to yourself – on purpose, present moment, observing
  • Look at your current tools you’re using – are they being approached with mindfulness?
  • Try something new if needed – new schedule, new tool, new approach

(You can also sign up for the “What is Mindfulness” workshop, on February 24th and available as a recording after, to learn more about mindfulness and ask any questions, live. You can join just this workshop, or as part of The Resilient SLP membership, with a 30-day free trial).

It’s not always easy, but taking a moment to be truly mindful, and look at what you are currently working tiwh, can make all the difference.

How has mindfulness helped you to prevent or reduce the chronic stress and burnout you face? Share below!

With Love and Light, 

Jessi

PS Want more mindfulness resources? Subscribe below for access to a FREE subscribers-only resource library.


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3Feb

What is mindfulness?

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Mindfulness
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what is mindfulness

Mindfulness has become a common word, and even practice for some, over the last few years. It is normal to hear someone use it or mention it in conversation, or read about in as you scroll through social media. To some it is thought of as a trend or a buzzword, while others have started using it as their way to cope with the ongoing stress we all face. But what is mindfulness, really?

When I was in yoga teacher training, mindfulness was one of the many topics we learned about, specifically how it can be part of your everyday life and not just a piece of meditation or the physical yoga poses you do on a mat. I remember my teacher talking about how you could be mindful while doing the dishes, focusing on what you are doing, bringing your focus and awareness to the dishes and the experiences, and observing what you feel and when your mind wanders. 

I absolutely laughed inside at this thought, because doing the dishes is one of my least favorite chores. And it felt anything but mindful.

I won’t tell you that I used this practice and fell into a deep love and spiritual connection with doing my dishes, because that would be a total lie. But I will say that the anecdote stuck with me, and I was able to try to bring my mindfulness practices out into the world, into my day, and not just those few moments I spent moving and breathing on my mat (because I also was not into meditating at that point either). 

Over the last decade of teaching, my own definitions and experience with mindfulness has grown, as has the research and the mainstream acceptance of it. 

Mindfulness was once a scoffed at concept, saved only for those who were out of touch with reality and the real world, a crunchy no-good-hippy, or simply “woo”. Now it is studied, used in schools, medical centers, and households around the country and world, and can be practiced, often via yoga or meditation, through a variety of apps. 

And I’m sure you’ve heard all this and even tried some of it, or through about it. But what is mindfulness? This thing that we practice now and talk about to help with stress and the challenges of life, what is it?

Mindfulness, at its core, is a non-religious, not-really spiritual, practice of growing awareness, by tuning into yourself and the environment around you. It is the act of going within to check in, but also observing what is going on surrounding you. 

Mindfulness the way we know it comes from a lot of different roots – buddhism, hinduism, yoga, and other ancient practices, but it is no longer religious in nature – unless you want it to be. The way it has been studied and practiced, mostly, in the western cultures, especially over the last few decades and in recent years, is to help reduce stress and be more present and focused. A lot of this is based upon something called Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn. 

In this, mindfulness has 3 parts that define it and the way to bring in awareness. Here is the definition: Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally.

So what does that really mean and how do you practice that? 

Let’s break that down and look closer at what is mindfulness:

  • Paying attention on purpose
    • This is all about focusing. Choosing what you are going to pay attention to on purpose, and giving that your attention. In meditation, this would look like having a focal point, maybe your breath or a mantra (inhale, exhale). You focus on this, and pay attention to it, on purpose, because you chose to. And then you keep trying to come back to it. 
    • The fun thing with mindfulness is that it is absolutely ok if your mind wanders away from it. You can always come back – that is the practice part. It’s never about perfection.
  • Present moment
    • The present moment is what is happening now, not in the past or in the future. Looking into the future can start to stir up feelings of stress, anxiety and worry about what might happen or how things will play out, and you end up incredibly stressed about the situation without any guarantee that it will even occur that way. Paying attention to the past can bring up feelings of guilt or shame or anger for things that are not relevant, are not happening now, and that are not part of your life. 
    • Paying attention to the present means you get to check in and see what you need now, to be here now. And it helps you to let go of some of the stress and become more grounded and centered.
    • This might look like a meditation practice where you focus on how your body feels right now, or taking a pause in the middle of your day to see how you are doing in that moment. 
  • Non-judgemental
    • When you pay attention without judging, you are instead observing. It sounds simple, but it can be so very hard to do. You notice if your mind wanders, what your body feels like, the thoughts you have, any thing that happens, without labeling it as right or wrong, good or bad, helpful or harmful, etc. You simply take note, observe what comes up, and let it move on if it does. 
    • In practice, this might look like observing your breath. Iff it is shallow or short, you don’t change it or force it or critique, you simply notice that is what is happening right now. No fixing. You might also notice your thoughts and observe, without labeling them as good or bad. 

So what does that look like in practice? Let’s try a quick practice together. 

Take a moment to get comfortable, either seated or standing or even lying down. Close your eyes if you can or set your gaze on an object. Relax your shoulders away from your ears and let your hand rest in your lap. If possible, breathe in and out through your nose. Bring your awareness, your attention, to your breath. Notice each inhale and exhale, as they come in and out of the body. Maybe start at the nostrils – what does the temperature of the breath feel like? Is it warm or cool? Follow the breath into the body. How does it feel? Short, shallow, deep, full? Simply observe without changing or judging. After a few breaths, shift your focus into your body. Scan through and notice spots that feel tense or tight, or maybe more loose and limber than usual. Again, without judging or critiquing, just noticing what is there. Stay here for a few breaths and then bring your awareness of your thoughts. No judging, just observing. What are the thoughts you are having? Are they slow and steady, sluggish, fast and rapidfire? Acknowledge them as they come in and then let them drift off, without hanging on to them. Start to shift back to your breath, noticing it once again and observing. Take 3 to 5 more rounds of breath and then begin to slowly blink your eyes open and complete your mindfulness practice.

There you go. You did a mindfulness practice where you paid attention on purpose, in the present moment and without judgment. High fives to you!

How did you find this practice to be – easy, difficult, simple, too simple, too challenging? Write some notes about it, leave a comment, or send a message to jessi@jessiandricks.com or DM me on IG @jessiandricks.

I’d love to hear from you!

If you are looking to take a deeper dive into mindfulness, learn more about it, and what it can do for you and your stress, come join me for the upcoming live workshop “What is Mindfulness” on February 24th, 2022.

This workshop is part of The Resilient SLP Workshop Series and Membership, and is available through the membership, or you can purchase this workshop on it’s own. 

The workshop will be held virtually, and will be recorded, in case you are not able to attend or want to watch it again. 

In the workshop, you’ll:

  • Define what mindfulness is and what it is not
  • Learn why it is a foundational tool for managing stress and building resilience
  • Look at ways to use mindfulness in your daily life
  • Try some mindfulness practices and see how they work for you

And, since it is live, you’ll get to ask any questions that you have on the topic, or reach out about specific things you are trying to put into practice in your own life. 

You can find out more info and sign up here: The Resilient SLP

I can’t wait to have you join!

With Love and Light,
Jessi

PS Not sure about The Resilient SLP or workshops, but want some FREE resources and info to help you get started with resilience and stress management? You can subscribe here for info and access the free resource library.

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20Jan

How do I practice mindfulness at work?

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Uncategorized
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practice mindfulness at work


Mindfulness is a key piece to managing stress and reducing your risk of burnout. It helps to rewire the pathways in your brain (meditation, specifically), reset your stress response, and shift your mindset and outlook. And, while there are practices that you may be using at home before and after work, you might be struggling with using mindfulness while at work. 

Like, how do you put these into practice within your daily routines and your daily work, beyond the start and end of your day?

Your breaks are far and few between, so cramming each moment with a mindful activity doesn’t always help with stress, and can sometimes make it worse (hand raised over here, because that;s what it did for me). It might seem kind of strange to stop in the middle of a session or your day to meditate for a few moments, because, well, it would be strange to do that. And taking a  pause to journal or deep breathe when a parent or caregiver walks in for a meeting may not be practical (although, those deep breaths can be subtle and undetectable if needed). So how can you actually practice mindfulness while in your work day?

The best way is to look at what you are already doing (whether you consider it to be a habit/schedule to keep or work on), and find ways to infuse it with a more mindful approach. Sounds a little abstract, right? Let’s solidify that a bit.

Here is How to Practice Mindfulness at Work:

  • Notice your autopilot
    • What moments in your day are you walking through without even thinking about them? Sometimes this can seem like a badge of honor. “I can do this in my sleep” type of a thought. And, you probably could. This can be incredibly mindless (opposite of mindful) though, and can lead to a disconnect between you and your work, and the people it serves, without meaning to. Think about being on autopilot for a meeting, report, or therapy session.
    • It most likely happens though in the in-between moments – walking to the mailroom/breakroom, going to get your next patient/student, getting out new materials, entering and leaving work. All of these moments can sometime breeze passed you without you even realizing, and can be an opportunity for you to be present and more mindful for them.
    • Instead of autopilot, recognize when it happens (that brings awareness), then feel your breath, notice your thoughts, and feel your feet on the ground. 
  • Mental Check-In: 
    • This can seem similar to the “auto-pilot”, but it’s not quite the same thing. A Mental Check-In is kind of like a break or pause, where you just stop to see how you’re doing and what you’re feeling. It seems kind of simple and almost silly, but it can be one of the biggest tools and things that you are not doing (because most of us aren;t taught to do it). 
    • A check-in helps you see where you are today, and what you can expect, realistically, so you don’t aim for perfection, feel frustrated, and berate yourself internally when you ”fail”. It gives you awareness of what is going on with you and for you that day, so you can use it to see how you’d show up and how things might affect you during your day.
    • And the bar NEVER has to be at 100% here.
    • You can take a moment during your day and just pause to ask yourself “How am I today?”. 
  • Find some quiet: 
    • It is so simple, but not done enough. Especially in the world of being an SLP or Helping Professional. You communicate and process things ALL DAY, which means that quiet rarely happens, either externally or internally. Taking a moment, even a minute, to just sit in silence can do so much to help you reset and recharge.
    • You can simply sit for a little while with some quiet (not even meditating, just sitting in silence), or try a few other things that are quiet – turn off the lights, breathe deeply, stretch, check-in with yourself, sip some water, meditate, etc.

This is not an exhaustive list by any means, and it can be the start to help you build to more as you grow. Make sure to take care of yourself where you can – move around a little so you don’t get stiff or tense (that can add to mental tension, too), hydrate, caffeinate if needed (and maybe rehydrate), eat something so you can think and feel better, and speak kindly to yourself.

Which mindfulness practice are you going to try? Share in the comments or post about it in your IG stories and tag me @jessiandricks , or send an email to jessi@jessiandricks.com to let me know how it is going.

Also, do you want to learn how you can become more resilient as an SLP? The Resilient SLP is now open for enrollment. You can find more details about this monthly workshop series, and snag some FREE resources, by subscribing here (it’s free and I promise not to spam you): The Resilient SLP Info.

With Love and Light, 

Jessi

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29May

5 Ways to Start Meditating Regularly

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Meditation Stress Management Yoga
Comments Off on 5 Ways to Start Meditating Regularly

start meditating more regularly

When I first started practicing yoga, one of the things I heard people talk about was the “zen” moments they experienced from meditation. As someone who was feeling chronically, secretly stressed, like non-stop, and was “supposed to be” a happy, soon-to-be married with a solid career and big new house mid-twenty-something, I was very intrigued by this notion of “zen”. It was in fact what drew me to practicing yoga and kept me going, and showing up 10-30 minutes late, to a yoga class on Saturdays. There was this idea of finding some peace and some calm and breath, but I usually felt boredom, anxiety and the undercurrents of my stress still lingering. 

But then one day, my yoga practice changed, I went to a studio that pushed me and challenged me and showed me there was so much more to learn and do and grow within. I was in love. Eventually, I decided to sign up for yoga teacher training. 

I loved the physical practice. The creativity, the challenge, the breath. The physical practice was challenging, so much so that at times it wore me out. But it also gave me something to focus on, solely, for an hour at a time. An hour when I did not have a moment to do anything other than breathe and try not to fall over, nevermind think about my career and the stress that was growing and if I had made a huge mistake. I dove into the physical practice day in and day out.

But not so much with meditation. Sitting still to do “nothing” for even 5 minutes seemed like a waste of already precious and fleeting time. I would rather be sleeping or moving or prepping for the day ahead, or searching for a new job, than sitting to “clear my mind”. My mind was not clear and was increasingly getting more crowded as my stress and discontent with my work grew. 

During yoga teacher training, one of our homework practices was to meditate. We were instructed to sit for 5 minutes (set a timer) and count down from 75. If your mind wandered, start over again or make a mental note. I dreaded this practice and rarely did it. My mind wandered constantly. I felt as if I could count AND list out all the things I still had left to do in my day at the same time. It was not helping me feel “zen” or peaceful. It was not helping me with much of anything. At least, that is how I felt.

Eventually, when I quit being an SLP for nearly 5 years, I taught yoga and helped run yoga studios. I taught the physical practice for about 10-12 classes a week, wrote numerous articles and blog posts about it, ran workshops, and helped grow the community in the town I lived in. The practice I taught was more physically demanding, to help people get into their bodies and out of their heads. And I often talked about meditation, but rarely took a moment to fully include it in my teaching, or in my own practice. I understood the “idea” of it – that people felt really, really great after – but I didn’t understand why it was so great or what was really going on. 

After I came back into the SLP field, I started looking into resources to help with burnout and stress, and found meditation popping up time and time again. 

So I researched all the ways that it had been studied, and learned about how it helps reduce stress, affects the ways the brain responds to stress, and how it can help to build resilience to stress in your body and brain.

After that, it became more about “how the heck do I make this a reality” and less about, “what is this really doing”. I started practicing regularly, as much as I could, but often had difficulty sticking with it. 

I wanted to start meditating regularly, but there was a lot of things that made it more difficult:

  • Full time job
  • Other hobbies
  • The physical practice of yoga
  • Pressure and perfectionism
  • Time with family vs self-care time
  • Finding good practices
  • No job
  • Young kids
  • Young kids at home full time
  • Pandemic….

Eventually, I found a few things that worked for me and that helped me to incorporate meditation into my regular routine, or to get back to it more easily when I noticed I had gone astray. 

They were things like:

  • Having a conversation with my family about my mediation practice
  • Becoming aware of what I felt like when I was meditating regularly, and when I wasn’t
  • Figuring out which pocket of tie in my day worked best
  • Having some apps and site to use
  • Guidance – I did NOT like meditating on my own, “freestyle”. I wanted some support and structure. 

After doing this, and giving myself some compassion, permission and acceptance, I was able to incorporate a more consistent and regular meditation practice into my day, and start meditating regularly. It is not perfect, and meditation is never about being perfect, but it does allow me to meditate on most days, notice when I have been falling out of my habit, and easy ways to jump right back into it.

Here are 5 Ways to Start Meditating Regularly:

  1. Use an app: 
    • This makes it so much easier. Having an app or a site that you can access easily, and from nearly anywhere, means that you can meditate and take your practice with you, no matter where or when you need it.
    • Plus, it offers a very simple, structured spot for the meditation itself to be. You don’t have to come up with as much of a game plan, because it is already there for you, by clicking open your app or logging into a site. 
  2. Find a style you like:
    • It is important to actually like or look forward to the meditation practice. It doesn’t mean it won’t be challenging or should be easy, superficial self-care, but it does help to somewhat like the experience.
    • Look for a style that fits your style and personality, or what holds your attention the best.
    • Here are a few options: guided audio or self-guided, explanatory style or actual practice, mantra-focused or breath awareness, better sleep or stress relief, compassion or gratitude as the topic. 
  3. Set a realistic time of day (and stick to it):
    • If you are going to do it consistently, make it easy to be consistent. 
    • Find a time of day that is easy for you to sit down and meditate. Not a morning person? Maybe waking up 5 minutes earlier isn’t going to work for you. Evenings packed and stressful? Maybe you already have enough on your plate then. 
    • Choose a time of day that already has an opening or that you are craving this type of moment – quiet, peace, ease, breath. 
  4. Set a realistic time limit:
    • I recently read a book that was amazing and said to meditate for 20 minutes a day – not going to happen. My days, and your days, are already packed enough and 20 minutes seems like very precious and hard to come by time. 
    • Choose an amount of time that is realistic, and then, if you ever want, you can do more. If 1-5 minutes is ideal, that is perfect. 
    • It is better to have a time you can do, than to feel let down when you can’t do more or to give up because the time is too much of a commitment in your already packed day. 
  5. Accountability:
    • Find a way to stay connected and feel like you are part of a community, a member, or have someone that you are “in it” with – even if they are not actually doing it, but can respect and help you as you are in it. 
    • Join a community online or FB group, find an app that feels like a community, have an accountability partner, or text with a friend or have them text you.
    • You can also go about this solo, but hold yourself accountable. Set a reminder in your phone. Have your app ready to go when you wake up (if you meditate first thing). Mark it in your calendar, so it is part of your day already. 

It is often not the meditation itself that keeps you from sticking to the practice (although it can be challenging at times too), but the idea of finding time to do it, how to do it, and what it will be, that keep you from diving in. With these new tools, you’ll be more likely to start and stick to your practice, gaining all the benefits that come with a long term meditation practice, as well as the ones that happen immediately. 

If you are looking for some resources, check out the SLP Toolbox, a free resource library full of tools to help SLPs, like you and me, manage and reduce stress.

And while you are at it, hit “play” on one of the many meditation audios and give it a try. You’ll have everything you need to get started and keep going.

You can access it by signing up below:

Need one more push to start meditating regularly? Download the “Self-Care tracker ” from the SLP Stress Management Shop, to keep printed out and in your office, on your nightstand, in your meditation corner, or download it to your phone or tablet, so you have these reminders to keep you going once you get started.

Much Love, 

Jessi

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23Feb

How to Use an Anchored Breathing Meditation: Mindful Meditation Practice

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Meditation Stress Management
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anchored breathing meditation

One thing that will always be true, sometimes unfortunately so, is that stress and overwhelm will be a part of life. Even when you have tools to manage and reduce them, they will show up and you’ll have to put what you’ve learned into practice, or try to find a resource to help you better manage. It can be challenging (sometimes in a good, growth-filled way), and it can also be an opportunity to try out some new skills, or come back to some tried and true ones. For me, it is usually a reminder or indicator that I have stepped away from my routine and my daily habits or self-care, and that is when I know I need to come back to it, to feel better and work through whatever its going on or is off balance. 

When things start to get overwhelming and stressful, one thing you can do is to anchor yourself with your breath. It is a technique that is often used in mindfulness practices, such as meditation and yoga (more info here). 

This practice helps in a few different ways:

  • It drops you into the present moment, rather than spiraling about a past situation or future issue. 
  • It helps you to focus on one thing, rather than the multiple thoughts and “what-if’s” that overwhelm can bring in. 
  • It helps you to find more calm and turn down the stress response you are experiencing. 

Anchoring your breath is a simple practice of focusing on your breath, in a certain place on/in your body, to help you stay present and focused during a meditation (or yoga or even walking/running/cycling) practice. You pick a spot that you can feel or sense the breath, such as the tip of your nose or nostrils, or the ribcage or belly, and try to maintain your focus as you breathe and sit. Your mind will wander, and the practice helps you to have a specific place to come back to, and focus again, when you notice your thoughts have wandered. 

Here are a few ways to use an “Anchored Breathing” Meditation Practice:

  • Self-Guided Meditation:
    • To do this practice, take a seat, close your eyes and start to pay attention to the breath in a specific spot. 
    • Stay there for about 5 minutes, or go for longer (I like to set a timer if I am doing a solo meditation). 
  • Yoga and Movement:
    • You can also try this during a yoga practice – taking the given pose or shape and then anchor into your breath as you hold or flow through. 
    • You could try this while running, walking, cycling, etc. Find a place to notice and anchor your breath, and then keep that your focus as you move. 
  • Guided Meditation Audio:
    • Sometimes you need some guidance and support to practice. You can always use a guided meditation practice, like the one(s) in the SLP Toolbox or on meditation apps.

Next time you are looking for a tool to help with the stress and overwhelm you are feeling, try an “Anchored Breathing” meditation or mindfulness practice. 

To download an audio version of this, make sure to sign up for the FREE resource library, the SLP Toolbox. You’ll find this meditation practice, plus many more and other resources, to help you better manage and reduce the stress you face as an SLP (and human!). You can sign up below for access:

How do you like to anchor your breath? Nostrils, belly, ribcage? Leave in the comments below!

Much Love, 

Jessi

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8Aug

Check Out or Check In?: Basic Mindfulness Meditation for SLPs

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Meditation Reduce Stress Stress Management
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basic mindfulness meditation for slps

One of the things I like to do when I am feeling stressed especially about my work as an SLP, is to find a million other tings to do or think about. That way, I don’t have to focus on the stressful thing at hand. And it works, for about 5 minutes, until it completely backfires and the stress comes at me full force.

Ever try this technique? It’s kind of the worst.

You might notice that when you are stressed, you also do things to check out – like binge watch your favorite show or movie or just ANY show, stay up way too late and guzzle all the caffeine you can the next day, or binge snacks or wine or whatever it might be. The idea is that you end up ignoring the stress, but then it hits you again a little stronger each time.

Instead, the way to really reduce and manage this stress is to face it head on. It sounds like this would be the more stressful approach, but it allows you to check in, or tune in, and see what it really going on for you. That way, even if it feels uncomfortable and more stressful in the movement, you can see what you need to work on, what you have to work with, and the changes you can start to create. It’s not easy, but it is usually necessary.

One way to do this is through a basic mindfulness meditation for SLPs.

In mindfulness meditation practice, you take a few moments to just sit and observe how you are. No judgments, no changing, just seeing what is going on for you in that moment. From there, you become more aware of how you are in that moment, which helps you to see:

  • how you will show up in your day/the world with what you have going on
  • how the day/world may affect you
  • what you can do to better navigate your day and current circumstances (like avoiding a certain co-worker or getting to bed earlier or drinking more water or whatever it may be).

This simple practice can help you start to reap the benefits of meditation, such as turning down the stress response in your brain, and start to manage your stress with more awareness.

You can start by simply sitting for 5 minutes, breathing, and just seeing how the mind and body feel in that moment (without judging) or you can follow a guided meditation, such as the “Basic Mindfulness Meditation for SLPs” available in the SLP Toolbox, a FREE resource library full of stress management tools made for SLPs by an SLP.

You can sign up for access below:

If you are looking to go even further with reducing and managing your SLP Stress, including using meditation and learning exactly how it can help, be sure to check out the SLP Stress Management Course, now enrolling.

Much Love,

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22May

Take 10 Breaths: Mindfulness Meditation for SLPs

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Meditation Reduce Stress Self Care
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10 breaths mindfulness mediation for SLPs

Do you ever have those moments, as an SLP or just as a human, where you need to pause and maybe even hit a reset button? With a lot of chaos and uncertainty going on, now and even before, it can add to the feelings of overwhelm and stress that happen for many SLPs. And it can make you feel like you aren’t able to be present to the moments you are in.

On a really long day, one that has me pulled in a lot of different directions or is just mentally draining, I like to take a brief moment of self-care to check in and hit “reset”, before I leave my office and head into family time. One way to do this is to go on a walk or practice yoga. These help me feel refreshed and clear my head.

But one other thing that helps, especially when I am limited in my time and need a reset on the go (or even in the midst of therapy sessions, family time, my kids, my dogs, or just stress from the day and the world) is to stop, close my eyes, slow down and take 10 breaths.


In those 10 breaths, I can check in with myself and see how I am feeling underneath it all. Those 10 breaths allow me to slow my breath and calm my nervous system. And in 10 breaths, I can take a mini-break before I jump back in.

For you, these 10 breaths can help you to feel more grounded and steady throughout your day an an SLP, even in the middle of chaos, hectic schedules, and life at home.

Here is how to take 10 breaths:

  • Find a seat or stand still
  • Close your eyes or soften your gaze
  • Maybe bring one hand to your belly and one to your heart (so you can feel your breath moving in and out)
  • Take a deep breath in and then a deep breath out
  • Repeat 10 times

That’s it!

If you prefer a guided meditation, or want to follow along and learn this practice, you can check out 2 of these “10 Breath Meditation Practice” in the SLP Toolbox.

Not a member of this FREE resource for SLPs? You can subscribe below for access to these meditations audios, as well as other meditation and movement audios, and more.


If you are looking to dive even deeper into managing your stress, look for the upcoming SLP Stress Management Course, enrolling Summer 2020, and check out these CEU/CMH Professional Development courses:

Much Love,

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