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28Jan

What can building resilience do for you?

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Uncategorized
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building resilience

Stress is ongoing and ever-growing. There are tools you can use to manage it and help reduce it. And, while these are helpful and effective, they can also at times lead to feeling more overwhelmed and drained, the very things you are trying to work through, because you are so focused on the stress piece of the puzzle, micro-managing, always evaluating, and always focused on it.

If you shift your focus slightly, you can use these tools and strategies to not (micro)manage stress necessarily, but instead cultivate resilience around it. 

Resilience does not ignore the things that are really hard, seemingly impossible, and absolutely unfair. Instead it keeps you moving forward, not stuck in what is happening, but moving through it, feeling less overwhelmed and weighed down. It gives you hope and a way to take action. 

The APA defines resilience as “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress”. This could be with health, finances, relationships, small stress, major trauma, workplace requirements, all things out of your control, etc.

You feel it, you let it sink in, you maybe move forward or you let it all integrate to become a part of you, and then you move and grow from there. 

Resilience = Your Superpower when it comes to stress.

Before the pandemic, we were facing major stress in the SLP and Helping Profession workplaces, and it has only grown since then.

Even in an ideal world and workplace, stress would come along in some way. So if it its there and that is the reality of the situation (which sucks and is not how any of us thought our lives would go), this gives you a way to utilize it, move through it, learn from it, and come out the other side, a little easier each time. 

Resilience offers a way to work with that stress, not avoid or hyperfocus or micromanage it away. It does not mean you welcome it and are happy to receive it, or that you ignore the not-so-great feeling you have or experiences you face, or that you only see the brightside. It means that you can come back from the stressful moments easier, with less of them staying with you, with less feeling of being stuck in the stress with no way out. 

Here are a few things that building resilience can do for you:

  • Stop the constant managing of stress
    • Instead of constantly focusing on the stress you feel, how much it is growing or not, and if you can manage it a little more, resilience helps to not let the stress affect you as deeply, and continually work through it without your focus having to constantly be on it. 
  • Keep stress from growing
    • Resilience gives you tools to cut through the stress and move forward from it, without letting it continue to grow and overwhelm you. It allows you to build practices that reduce the stress response and shift out of negative thoughts and patterns. 
  • Help you build a foundation of (non-toxic) optimism
    • Resilience is rooted in positive psychology and the practice of noticing what is working, what you can learn, and noticing the positive aspects of your daily life. This helps to build true, non-toxic, optimism, which helps your brain to rewire the stress response. 
  • Help you come back from hard times easier
    • Resilience gives you the tools to notice how you are feeling in those tough and challenging moments, and then use the tools to move through it and come back faster, oftentimes stronger. It is not what you wish the stress on anyone, but that you use the experiences in it
  • Reduce the risk of chronic stress and burnout
    • Resilience helps to lessen how deeply you are affected and overwhelmed by stressors, and keeps them from continuing to grow and build, leading to chronic stress or burnout. 

Now that you have a little better understanding of what resilience is, you can start to bring more of it into your daily life.

What can resilience do for you? Share in the comments below.

If you want to learn even ore and dive deeper into this topic, make sure to check out the “Building Resilience” workshop, now available as a single workshop purchase until January 31st, or available at anytime with a membership to The Resilient SLP Monthly Workshop Series. 

In the Building Resilience workshop, you’ll:

  • Explore what resilience is and what it means
  • Learn why it is so important when working through stress
  • Look at ways to build resilience in your daily life
  • Practice some resilience building strategies
  • Make a plan for building your resilience

You can find out more details on the series and how to sign up here: The Resilient SLP

With Love and Light,

Jessi

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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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12Jan

How do I know when I should I step away from work or not?

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Career Advice
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step away from work or not

I was recently asked this question by a fellow SLP…

This year has been so overwhelming I’m thinking of taking time off from being an SLP. I know your platform is a lot of stress management and prevention but did you feel some time away gave you a fresh perspective?

When I was in my third year as an SLP, I had worked in 4 different settings; had anywhere from a 15 minute to a full hour commute (before traffic); had been fired, laid off, and quit due to legal issues; and went through 4 different CF supervisors before earning my CCC-SLP. Looking back, it is no wonder I hit burnout hard and found it nearly impossible to recover. Any one of those things would have been overwhelming, while learning to BE an SLP, but all of them combined was a real poo-storm of a few first years. 

It wasn;t all terrible. I really enjoyed a lot of the facilities I worked at and had wonderful co-workers. I had people there who supported me in my early career and who believed in me as a clinician. There were a lot of really good times and things I loved and learned so much from. And there was a lot of frustration that built up and became all I could see after a while. 

So, I quit in order to teach yoga and swore I would never return (which, of course, I did after 5 years away and some life changes). 

This isn’t meant to be some “and look how far I’ve come” story – because it is not that. It is more of would I do it again or do I recommend it to others……..not necessarily.

One question that I get asked a lot, and was asked recently, is if I think a person should leave their SLP (or other Helping Profession) job due to the overwhelming stress, or if they should stay with it. It is one of the toughest questions to answer, so here are my thoughts on it, especially with the extra demands and ongoing stress (and triggered stress response) of the pandemic. Do I recommend it? For some, it is not needed and other things would help, but for some people it is absolutely what is needed. It really depends on a few things that you would know better than me. But there are some ways to figure out which is for you.

Should I take time away from my work as an SLP or Helping Professional?

Here are some things to consider when deciding to step away from work or not:

  • Have you really and truly tried to manage or reduce your stress?
    • It sounds mean and a little like it’s all on you. That is not quite how it is meant to be. Here is the truth, even when you want to change, it is really hard to undo the patterns and habits you have been using and living with. It doesn’t matter if they are working or good for you. They are familiar and change is hard and it is scary. So, you have to ask yourself, have you really tried? If yes, have you given the tools time to work and time to work through them?
    • If you have done that, and have been working to reduce your stress, but it still seems to be on the rise and work is the main source, then it might be time to step away in order to better manage your stress.
  • What do you want from stepping away? 
    • Another big thing to look at is what you want when you step away. If it is to take time to reflect and work through stress, and you are unable to do that with the overwhelming amount of work you face,  then taking the time to step back might be exactly what is needed. If you are unable to have a moment throughout your day to pause or breathe or stop working, mentally and physically, then taking a step back might be the best bet. 
    • If taking a step back is to have the stress instantly go away, it is probably not a realistic thing to do, or at least not the only thing to do. 
    • If you step away from your work, without managing your stress, it will not go away (exceptions of course for toxic workplaces). Yes, it might feel great to be free from those obligations. That will make the stress feel like it has lifted, and a little bit may have. But it does not help you to turn down the stress response or give you tools to reduce and manage it in the future. It teaches you to keep leaving when things are overwhelming, not what to do when they are. And it will show up quickly in the next setting or when the next stressful thing passes by you. Managing your stress helps you to turn down the stress response, so it doesn’t keep taking over and keep you in overwhelm. 
  • Do you have a plan for the next step?
    • Yes, taking time away usually means time to recharge, regroup, and step away from the productivity hamster wheel you are currently stuck on. But – it can lead to more stress and overwhelm if you do so without some sort of plan or next step. 
    • Before you step away, if you decide to, ask yourself these questions
      • How long will I do this?
      • Is this permanent?
      • What do I want to try to do instead or for a while?

Now that you have a little more guidance in deciding if you should step away form work or not, start to work through this on your own. Grab a journal or notebook or a blank google doc and ask yourself each of these questions. Write down anything that comes to mind, even if you think it is silly, you’ve never thought it before, or you are unsure of it. Once you get it all out on paper, you can go over it again to help you come up with your plan and next steps. 

Want a little more support? Send me an email and we can set up a time to chat, jessi@jessiandricks.com. If you come up with a next step or have a little clarity – share it in the comments or in your IG stories, and tag me @jessiandricks. You can also subscribe here for more free resources: SLP Toolbox

No matter what you decide, it is your decision to make (whether it is the right step for you, for your family, for your future goals and dreams). You’ve got this!

With Love and Light, 

Jessi

PS Want to do more than manage your stress? Build resilience to it, no matter what is thrown your way. Check out more with The Resilient SLP.

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5Jan

How to add in Mindfulness when you are already overwhelmed

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Stress Management
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mindfulness when you are already overwhelmed

Let’s face it, things are continuing to be stressful, and every time it seems you might catch a break, there is a new change, a new policy to adapt to, or uncertainty pops in. And, even before a pandemic, there was the stress of work – the balance of therapy vs admin vs life outside of work. The impossibility of getting it all “done” and the schedules that were too full and growing. These last few years have only amplified this.

And, a good thing, is that stress is no longer a hidden, secret word. It is well-known, managers and companies and bosses are recognizing it and trying to do something about it (even when it just looks like words or feels like it’s false), and saying you are stressed out doesn;t mean you are an outcast. It is the reality we all face and are welcome to talk about it.

The downside is that it’s stress. It’s stressful. And it has only grown. 

But you are not alone in it, and not helpless or hopeless. Even with the inevitability of it growing, you can still help to manage and reduce it, and build resiliency to the stress you face. This can be done through practices of Mindfulness and Self-Care. 

Mindfulness/Self-Care can be the thing that helps you be resilient to stress, and it can also be one more thing to do when you are feeling that same stress. It can seem overwhelming, when you are already overwhelmed, and like there is “one more thing” you have to do. This makes it easy to not do the things that will help you reduce your stress, and leaves the stress to grow further. 

So how do you make it a part of your day and daily routine without adding to more stress?

Give these tips a try to practice mindfulness/self-care when you are already overwhelmed:

  • Keep it simple: 
    • It absolutely does not need to be complicated to work – usually the easier, the more effective. Sure, an elaborate morning routine seems like fun and super cozy. It also seems super stressful to commit to and something that can become overwhelming quickly. Stretching, exercising, reading, journaling, getting outside, coffee in silence, a smoothie, and meditating all before your 6:45am wake-up call/get ready for work/kids wake-up doesn’t sound as good though, does it? It sounds hectic AF and like anxiety waiting to happen. Instead, keep it simple, so you can keep doing it.
    • Here are some ideas: Sit to meditate or deep breathe for a few minutes. Make a mental check in to see how you are showing up that day. Set your alarm 5 minutes early and use that time (whether you actually get up or stay cozy in bed) to reflect (write it down or mental note) or an intention or gratitude. Stretch or walk for a few minutes. Drink your coffee/tea in peace and quiet for 5 minutes (although, depending on your household and the people in it aka small children and pets, this might be easier said than done on some days). 
  • Don’t take a ton of time: 
    • While you are keeping it simple, keep it to a few minutes. Aim for 5-10 minutes. This can be added to your routines during the day, or you can wake-up a little earlier, pause before you head into work.
    • Your brain likes consistency, which is why those other habits are hard to break and new ones are even harder to build. So short amounts of time, that you can consistently do, are better than  huge, elaborate, time-consuming moments once in a while. 
  • Add it in where it already makes sense/tag onto another task: 
    • Overhauling can be incredibly overwhelming, and is usually not necessary. So instead of trying to completely revamp your routines and habits (even if they aren’t great), in order to create some mindful moments in your day, try adding them in where you are already doing something. 
    • For example: your coffee/tea is brewing, take those 5 minutes to deep breath, journal or meditate. Driving to work? Listen to a podcast you love. Before you jump in the shower or get dressed, stretch for 5 minutes or do some sun salutations. Tack it onto something you’re already doing, so it doesn;t seem like “one more thing”. 
  • Drop the perfection: 
    • Oof, that’s much harder to do than to say. But it’s the truth. You don’t have to be 100% at A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G and that includes your (grades and) stress management. Mindfulness is about showing up as you are and observing it, being present to it, and not judging. This builds awareness and helps you move forward with a more mindful mindset. And it allows you to do what you can, when you can, without guilt if you miss out or need to pause for life. 

Now that the overwhelm has been taken out of this, or at least lessened a bit, grab a notepad or sticky notes and write down a few ways you can start to do this. Remember, it’s not about perfection, so, just like with anything you do or teach, brainstorm it first and give some things a try. Come at it from a place of playfulness and exploration, without looking at it as one more thing you have to do, or a way to “fail” at your day.

Then share it with me! I’d love to see what you are up to and trying. Leave a comment below or snap a pic and share in your IG stories tagging me @jessiandricks, or send an email to jessi@jessiandricks.com.

Find joy and fun in this, and reach out to me at any time for support. 

With Love and Light, 

Jessi 

PS Want even more ways to add in mindfulness when you are already overwhelmed? Join the FREE SLP Toolbox and get instant access to mindfulness meditation audios, journal templates, and mindful movement audios and videos. Sign up below!


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7Oct

Focus on What is Working for Less Stress

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Reduce Stress Stress Management
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focus on what is working

Ever feel like stress is just always there? Like it’s just hanging out, ready to find you in a moments notice?

If there’s one thing that overwhelm and stress can do, it is take you from feeling like you have it all figured out to having no idea what you are doing in about 2 seconds flat. This is because your brain likes to notice what is not working for you, and when it does, it sticks with it. 

To your brain, this feels safer and like the place that will keep you alive, and, sure, it will, physically, but it is NOT the place where you will thrive or feel better, or even feel well, mentally and within your life as a whole. 

Your brain is designed to keep you going. It is the number one job for your brain. All of the thinking, reasoning and problem solving, that we as SLPs love, is kind of secondary. It is still important and what makes us who we are as a species and as individual beings, but, in some ways, it is not the most important thing for survival. Breathing, organs functioning without thinking about it, and staying away from things that are threatening – that is what your brain has prioritized.

These are good things, but the part about always looking for threats can go beyond the life-threatening and into the mundane. The daily stressors, the negatives, and the things that are NOT working for you become the focus, and your brain can get stuck there, looking for more and more. 

And it WILL find them, because there is a LOT to find. And once it is validated, it will keep looking for more and more, getting stuck in a Cycle of Stress. 

It can seem a little hopeless and that there is nothing you can do to change this. But there is one very powerful thing you can do to start to shift your brain out of this constant search, and reduce the stress response and the stress you feel – focus on what is working. 

Your brain is not going to do this naturally. It needs a little prompting and pushing to get there. 

When you focus on what is working, you focus more on the positive or good things in your day, and pull your brain out of the constant effort to focus on everything that is not going well. 

It doesn’t mean you ignore it or forget about it, but that you notice that other piece of the day, too. You train your brain to notice more of that and to stop searching for things to stress about. 

It’s like how there are days when one thing happens and then you notice another, and, suddenly, it seems like 10 things that were stressful quickly piled on and now you are so overwhelmed, you don’t know what to do. This is your brain responding to “threats” and stressors. 

It happens to everyone. 

Focusing on what is not working is what your brain naturally does. Focusing on what is working is how you pull it out of the stress mode and train it to notice the other pieces, which helps to reduce the stress response and build some resiliency to it. 

Some days I get stuck in the mindset of looking at all that I am NOT doing right now (especially when I am tired, stressed and not feeling like I am connecting “enough” or doing “enough”).

I focus on all that I am not accomplishing and my wishful to-do list (the one that I want to be doing “instead” or “should” be doing or “would be doing if _____”)

Then I get sucked deeper and deeper into the trap of looking at what is not working, what I am not doing and I start to feel like crap or not good enough or that I am not doing enough and will never do enough. 

I end up validating my brains’ stress cycle, and causing more to occur.

All of this, instead of looking at all that I am doing. 

When I shift gears mentally (it is HARD) and focus on what is working for me today and lately, I realize there is a lot that is going well, and is not stressful. 

I focus on what is working, like:

  • Cooking and baking some really awesome food
  • Walking to and from school in the morning and afternoon
  • Getting outside with my kids more to PLAY
  • Having time to work
  • Having time to practice yoga
  • Running again
  • Reading more books than I have since before I learned that reading wasn’t “cool” as a pre-teen
  • Running an online course on Stress Management and a seasonal Workshop Series
  • Working with hospitals/schools/conferences/practices/SLPs to help with stress

When I shift into this mindset, it doesn’t ignore all the other pieces that I wish I had more time to do, but shows the bigger picture and perspective. It pulls me out of tunnel vision and perfectionism.

Then, I am able to think things like:

  • I AM doing a lot – just different things.
  • It’s enjoyable. 
  • It is worth it. 
  • There is no need for 100% or perfection. 
  • There is and will be time for more when needed. 

These are the things that are working for me and make up a big part of my day – a part that I enjoy. 

Here is how you can start to make this shift to focus on what is working, when you feel you are stuck and focused on what is not working:

  • Acknowledge some of the things that are not working (don’t ignore or pretend they are not there). 
  • Write down 3 things that ARE working for you or are going well
  • Brainstorm a way to keep these going and to do more of them tomorrow/going forward
  • Make a practice (similar to gratitude) of taking a moment to reflect on these each day, or a few times a week.

Give practices to try and create a journal – Do you ever find yourself stuck in this sort of pattern? Where you feel like you have dropped off for a while, are in a funk or sliding into one?

Take a moment to pause and reflect, what is working for you today? Write it on a sticky note to keep nearby (you could even share and tag in your stories), or share in the comments below!

Want a journal template to help you create a routine of focusing on what’s working? Grab the “What is Working for you” guide in the SLP Toolbox, as well as more resources to help you manage and reduce your stress.

Sign up below for free access.

Much Love, 

Jessi

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28Sep

Book Review: The Joy of Movement

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Book Review Mindful Movement
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joy of movement

This is not a sponsored post, nor do I have any affiliation with the book or author.

It is no secret that I love movement, especially what I consider “mindful movement”. It brings me so much joy and feels freeing, like the worries and stress and chatter in my mind are gone and I am just in the moment, present. It also feels really good in my body, not only to get out of my head and into my body, but to do something good for it. It physically feels better, as well as mentally. 

This has not always been so for me. When I was a kid, I really, really did not enjoy sports or running or anything that involved a specific type of moving. I did, however, enjoy riding my bike for fun, dance classes, and even going to the gym with my parents to check out the cool machines and group exercise classes. 

It was this joy that stuck with me years later, as I started to incorporate more movement into my day, mostly for health reasons and prevention. 

When I was at my darkest times and hardest times, movement was always there and was something I turned to to help me through. 

It is what I left the field of Speech Therapy to pursue and to take on as my career, training in Yoga, mind-body fitness and teaching group fitness classes. And even to this day, teaching a class is one of the times I feel the lightest, most present, and absolutely most alive and connected. 

So I was super excited to find the book, “Joy of Movement” by Kelly McGonigal, PhD. Simply the title had me hooked, like I was understood. And then when I started reading, one of the first paragraphs felt like someone finally put into words what I felt when teaching and moving:

“In the nearly two decades, teaching has become a source of tremendous joy and meaning. Over the years, I saw again and again how movement could shift a persons’ mood. How it could send someone back into the world renewed with hope. I got to witness how exercise could empower participants to sense their own strength, or give them permission to let loose. As I taught individuals of all ages and varied physical abilities, I learned how movement could serve so many roles. It was a way to practice self-care, an opportunity to tackle challenges, and a place to make friends.”

This book covers the science, and personal stories, behind why movement is so beneficial for us as humans and how we evolved to move.

Kelly McGonigal is a research-based psychologist and author, and lecturer at Stanford University. She has also written a book called “The Upside of Stress” which, being in Stress Management Coaching, is on my must-read list. She is also a group fitness instructor and lover of movement. Her writing style, while based in research, is really about stpry-telling. This book, about the science behind movement and how it can improve your happiness, is less about stating the research, and more about exploring how  the research shows up in real life, for real people.

The Joy of Movement covers some of the physical benefits of movement, but focuses on the mental and emotional benefits received from movement. 

It is a fairly shorter read, with seven chapters and about 200 pages. I found it pretty easy to understand and follow (although, it did take me a bit longer than I anticipated, but that was due to interruptions from life and my young kiddos:) ). The seven chapters of this book break down different aspects of this, from the “runners’ high” to addiction to community to moving through pain. 

  • Chapter 1 looks at the Runners’ High and the real purpose behind it – which is not just to enjoy running. It lpps back at human evolution and the chemical reaction in the brain
  • Chapter 2 looks at addiction and how exercise has been shown to help in recovery, as well as how it has similarities to the addictions at the brain level, without the negative components. 
  • In Chapter 3, we get to explore group fitness and community, and how these can help to build connections, keep you moving, but also keep you thriving. 
  • Chapter 4 looks at how movement can be wired in the brain and can help in healing and in reducing the limitations of degenerative diseases, even if only for a moment. 
  • Chapter 5 explores using movement to help with the obstacles that we face in life, and how it can help with mental and emotional growth, but also with pushing through physical obstacles that sometimes cause mental challenges, depression, etc. 
  • Chapter 6 focuses on movement in nature and the deeper connection that can be felt from being in greenspace, moving and breathing, and how this shows up in brain functioning and mood. 
  • The final chapter, 7, looks at ultra-endurance athletes and the ability for movement to change lives, as well as build deeper connections. 

The Joy of Movement  helps to explore the other side of movement that we often neglect or overlook – the pieces that can help us emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually, to thrive in our lives. It shares the stories of people, while also looking at the research, the science and explains how this is happening in the brain and body, as well as how we humans have evolved to move and to thrive from it.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves movement, wants to move more, or is looking for a way to find more joy in their lives. 

As someone who often uses and coaches about Mindful Movement, this book helps solidify how truly important movement is for overall well-being. 

How do you love to move? Share it in the comment below!

Much Love, 

Jessi

PS Want some free resources to help you reduce stress through movement and meditation? Sign up for the free SLP Toolbox, and gain access to meditation and mindful movement audios.

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21Sep

4 Ways to Sneak More Gratitude into Your Day

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Gratitude Self Care Stress Management
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sneak more gratitude into your day

Stress is, unfortunately, inevitable. Deep down, stress is a good thing. It keeps you alive, keeps you safe, and helps prevent unnecessary things from happening, or heightens your senses and reflexes when a life-threatening event occurs. The unfortunate part is that it can also happen routinely, regularly, and chronically. This is when you need something to help you work out of the stress. 

Infusing your day with gratitude is a great place to start, and to help prevent future stress from growing. 

The way gratitude works for managing and reducing stress is by helping shift you out of “stress mode”. Your brain is wired, for all the reasons above, to look out for things that are stressful, or threatening, to you, and that could harm your safety. Once it finds something, it starts to look out for more and more things – no matter how big or small they might be. In today’s world, there is a LOT that can be picked up on as stressful, and this is why you are easily worn down by stress. Your brain becomes fixated on all the things that are stressful/bad/wrong/threatening/negative, and does not notice the things that are joyful/good/easy/working/positive, no matter how big or small. 

This means you could have a day that is full of small (or some big) moments of kindness, joy, thoughtfulness, success, care and more, but your brain has been trained (by itself and nature) to only see and recall the things that didn’t work out and could be threatening to you. 

When I am stressed, I can tell that my thoughts are focusing on the things that are not going the way I wanted them to, the things I am not able to change, and all the things that continue to be difficult. No matter how hard I try, at times, to push myself out of these thoughts and tell myself “you are spiraling into negativity”, it never just pulls me out of the stress. It brings more awareness, but there is still usually more stress to come. Instead, I need something to help bring joy, light, and balance back into my thoughts and outlook. 

Regularly practicing gratitude helps to shift your brain into better balance, training it to also see the things that are good from your day, that otherwise might go unnoticed, but can make a huge difference in your outlook, resilience to stress, stress management, and overall well-being. The hard part is to actually take a step and do the practice, both when you are feeling stressed and when you are feeling less overwhelmed. 

You can set up some set ways to practice gratitude, with journals, meditations, routines, etc. These are wonderful, but, at times, can also seem stressful or “one more thing”. You can also infuse your day with some gratitude practices that help to not only give you the practice, but create a life built around this gratitude, without feeling the pressure.

Here are 4 ways to sneak more gratitude into your day:

  • Dinner Table
    • When you sit down for dinner with yourself, your partner, your roommate, or your family and kids, try using this as an opportunity for gratitude. Take a moment to share 1 thing from your day that you’re grateful for or that went well or that is “working” for you. 
    • This gives some accountability and also creates a conversation that sparks from a place of gratitude. Plus, you might get to share an inspiring story, or learn and listen to one, that might have been forgotten or left out otherwise. 
  • Bedtime (for kids and grown-ups)
    • If you want to end the day with gratitude (something that studies show helps to create a more positive memory when reflecting) , try practicing gratitude when you go to bed, or when you get your kids to bed.
    • As you get into bedtime routine with your kids, have them share one thing that went well or that they are grateful for from their day.
    • You can also share your with your kid, or you can share your when you go to bed, or just make a mental note or jot it down or say it out loud when you go to bed alone. 
  • Morning/Evening Intention
    • You can also use gratitude, in journal or meditation form, as a way to start or end your day with intention. It can become part of your morning or evening routine. It kind of adds this into your usual morning and evening routines, so you are more tuned in and intentional. 
    • Take a few minutes to start your day with gratitude, setting the intention to live your day with gratitude, focusing on what is going well. 
    • You can also end your day, reflecting on what went well, in order to feel more calm and grounded when you end your day, and to let go of stress from the day. 
  • Sticky Note Reminders (when something “good” happens)
    • Another way to keep noticing gratitude is to have reminders near you of the good pieces of your day and life, so you are able to see them and be reminded, even when you forget to have a specific gratitude practice.
    • You can try keeping some sticky notes out, on your desk, dresser, counter, etc, that you can use to write down moments of gratitude or positivity when they happen. You have a really good coffee – write it down. You get great feedback – write it down. Dream job – write it down. Student reaches goal – write it down. You get 5 minutes to yourself – write it down. 
    • Then leave the sticky notes where you will see them and be reminded of all that is going well, especially in those times when all seems against you. Try leaving them on your bathroom mirror, your desk or computer monitor, a dry erase board in your office or classroom, or even in your car (if you use it to get to work). 

Now that you have a few ways to sneak some gratitude into your day, it’s time for you to put it into action. How can you add more gratitude into your day?  Share your favorite gratitude strategy (or the one you plan to start using!) in the comments. 

For more ways to practice gratitude, check out the Gratitude Planner in the SLP Stress Management Shop.

Or sign up below to access the free SLP Toolbox resource library.

Much Love, 

Jessi

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24Aug

3 Ways to Have a Better School Year

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Career Advice New SLP Podcast Stress Management
Comments Off on 3 Ways to Have a Better School Year

better school year

With many SLPs facing back to school time – either as school-based SLPs, parents (that’s me!), or just community members – it is an exciting and kind of scary time. There is so much that is new, so much that is uncertain, and so much that you know will be stressful going into it.

A new school year or work year, or just a shift in our schedule or setting, can seem incredibly daunting. There is so much that you have to learn, set up, and get ready, on top of all of the new protocols and changes that you are facing due to the ongoing pandemic/COVID (and, often, the lack of support or mixed messages from states and districts). It can be really scary, on top of the stress of being an SLP. 

But it doesn’t have to be a year of ongoing stress.

Even with all that is uncertain, and the underlying stressors of being an SLP, there are some small things and changes that you can do to help make it easier. 

These are the things I wished I knew when I started out in my first job as a school-based SLP. It would have helped me feel less lost, less overwhelmed, and maybe even more connected to what I was doing. 

3 ways to have a better school year:

  • Focus on what is working
    • Ummmm, being an SLP is no joke. There is going to be a lot that will be challenging. This isn’t meant to overwhelm you or scare you. Being an SLP is absolutely Mother Flipping amazing and it is also a lot of work. You know SO much about a lot of things, and can help people in so many ways. This is great, and it can also be incredibly stressful and overwhelming. There are things that will not go well – sessions, caseloads, workloads, productivity, scheduling, groups, activities that totally bomb, piles of paperwork, etc. But there will also be things you do really, really well, that others do not do as well. You might be really awesome at engaging your students with real world stories, or doing crafts (so not me), or picking out books and themes, or finding fun games, or just having a convo with them. 
    • These may not be what the “best” (ugh, eyeroll) SLPs are doing, but if they resonate with you, and you do them well, then they will be beneficial, more so than using someone else’s tools and strengths. THIS is what can really help your students (or clients) to thrive and flourish and grow – all the things that are truly important. 
    • Take a moment to focus on these. See what it is that is working for you, or what is going well, and shift to focusing on these first. The rest will come later. If it’s even needed at all. 
  • Add in afternoon routine or transition:
    • This is so, so crucial. Your brain needs a shift at the end of the day to help you let go of the day and be more present at home. You know when you have left work, physically, but your thoughts are still on work – the upcoming meetings, the worrying about a student, the session that went wrong, the piles of paperwork, etc? This happens when your brain is overloaded and hasn’t shifted out of work mode yet. It makes it impossible to be present and is incredibly mentally draining. 
    • Give yourself a moment at the end of the day to pause and shift, using ritual or routine of some sort to help your brain recognize that work is over and to let it go. It can be something simple, like doing a stretch, writing 3 things you are grateful for, or grabbing a cup of tea before you leave. Or it could be longer like a walk on the way home, doing some meditation or yoga before you leave your home office, or reading a book. Anything that helps you break apart the day will work.
  • Have some boundaries
    • Oh, yikes! These are really hard to do, but, also, so important. Setting boundaries will help you to prevent being overworked, overwhelmed and burned out. They can be uncomfortable to do and can seem pushy or “too much”, but they are necessary to keep going. 
    • Try utilizing the word “no”. It is hard and can seem mean, but it is absolutely not. (See, I just did it!). Saying “no” gives you space for more things that will lift you up, keep you connected and keep you thriving AND it also helps others see where you really are not able to help or take on more. Saying “yes” out of guilt only adds to your overwork and overwhelm. It takes practice, but start small and try it out. Guilt-free. Try “Sorry, I am not able to take that on right now” or “No, thank you” or “This is not possible for me. What can we do instead?”.
    • Along with “no”, leave work at work. Ok, ok, I know it is not always possible. Instead of setting huge lines of always/never take work home, try for one night a month to bring it home, and set aside time to do it. If you constantly bring it home, and leave it in the corner, staring at you, it will only make you feel guilty and pulled in opposing directions between home and work. (This goes for staying late as well – choose one day a week/month to stay and get it done). 

These won’t get rid of all the stress – I wish!! Or make things like health and safety instantly better – I really do wish on this one. But they will help to make your year more manageable, help you find more freedom, and give you a better foundation to show up, grow, and be an amazing (kick butt) SLP.

Which one of these will you start using more of? Share in the comments below or send me a message at jessi@jessiandricks.com!

For more tools to help you manage and reduce your SLP stress, make sure to subscribe to the FREE resource library, the SLP Toolbox. It is full of stress management and mindfulness resources, made for SLPs, to help you better reduce and manage your stress, without adding to it. Sign up for free below.

Much Love, 

Jessi

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