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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
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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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29May

5 Ways to Start Meditating Regularly

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Meditation Stress Management Yoga
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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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22Apr

How to Track Your Self-Care Practice

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Self Care Stress Management
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track your self-care practice

When I was in graduate school, I spent a lot of time (way too much, especially during class, I’ll admit) researching this newer movement about “going green”. I was fascinated by it and was so excited to learn more and revamp a lot of the things I was doing, eating, and cleaning with. It was my first time living alone and the first time I really went all in and had a strong opinion and stance on something. And I loved it. 

It became part of my lifestyle and something I wanted to bring into more aspects of my daily living and learning. 

  • There were TV shows devoted to green-living
  • Magazines and book being published
  • New products launching for cleaning (some obscure brands and some from household brands jumping in on the trend)
  • There were new ways of exercising (for me), that were more mindful
  • There were new grocery stores for me to explore and wander around
  • New products that were “eco-friendly” were popping up everywhere

Honestly, I really enjoyed this time and learning about so many new things, exploring and finding new products, and making shifts in my lifestyle. There were so many days and years where I felt like I talked about this a LOT and so much of what I was doing, thinking and reading was devoted to these “greener” practices. 

And then, one day, I felt like I had kind of lost it. I hadn’t explored a new store in awhile, found a new product to try, or been surprised to see a new product launched that I wanted to test out. I was a little dismayed and thought “I guess it’s not as important to me anymore”, and maybe, not to anyone else either. For a moment, I was really, really frustrated by that. 

How could I have gone so far in the opposite direction, to not be thinking about this ALL.THE.TIME. anymore. I mean, I dedicated a lot of my small, precious time in grad school (I also worked 5 days a week at a restaurant, serving and managing) to researching this, when I very well could have been studying a bit more (It’s ok. I got good grades and graduated. Just not “perfect”). 

And then I realized something:

  • I didn’t need lists of what foods to buy, because I had already learned it and the options were available pretty much everywhere I shopped.
  • I wasn’t exploring new stores, because I was frequenting the ones that worked best for me. And most places had a lot to offer.
  • Nope. I wasn’t testing out new products that popped up, because these were ABUNDANT and now widely available – not some obscure thing. 

Basically, I wasn’t constantly thinking about “going-green” anymore, because “going-green” was a lot more mainstream and it was a huge part of my daily life – without having to think about it constantly.

I had been practicing it for so long, that it was not just part of what I did automatically. It’s not nearly as fun as the exploring phase, but it is much deeper and more sustainable. It’s just part of life now. 

The same might be true for where you stand with your stress management and utilizing, learning, and exploring the tools and techniques, such as mindfulness, meditation, movement, journaling, and more. These things are more mainstream than ever, and could be viewed as trendy, or could be viewed as our culture finally catching up to what we all need, and realizing that not having these practices was creating more harm than good. 

Right now, you might feel immersed in it or even overwhelmed by it all. Or even feel that people are pushing it without actually offering help (like your boss or admin saying “remember self-care!”). There can be a lot to try, experiment with and to figure out what works for you and what doesn’t, and what really is just a trend. That can sometimes feel more stressful, or exciting, than you are looking for. 

But, one day, it will just be part of your routine – so much so, that you might not even realize you are using these on a daily basis. You’ll feel like you aren;t doing enough, or that you aren’t doing anything, because it is just part of who you are and how your day goes. Not stress-free, but more mindful and more aware, with tools to use when you need them and foundational practices built in. 

No matter where you are starting at now, here are a few things for you to reflect on, and see where you can go or how far you have already come: 

  • Awareness is the first step: If you are simply aware that you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, and you can recognize the why or when, this is a huge step. 
  • Mindfulness is familiar vocabulary: The terms mindfulness, yoga, meditation, journal, self-care, stress management, etc are nothing new to you. You’ve been reading about them, listening to podcasts or courses on them, or trying them out. 
  • You’re stressed about your stress management: Yay! That can be hard, but it means you are working on it and on the right path (and, if you are feeling left out and alone, things like the SLP Stress Management Podcast or SLP Toolbox can help make it easier to figure out). 
  • Hearing about self-care from supervisor or admin makes you cringe, or cheer: Yay, again! Even if your reaction is an eyeroll, it means you know it is important, and are just overwhelmed at the thought of doing it. But you are still in that awareness place. 
  • You feel like you aren’t doing enough to try and look up new self-care routines, or you don’t talk about it as much or have it on your mind: It might make you feel guilty, or like you “aren’t doing enough” (imagine that, as an SLP, cue the sarcasm). It might mean that, if you are honestly avoiding facing your stress, but, most likely, if you have been working on this for a while, you are in it. You are doing things and incorporating them into your life without having to struggle or think about it constantly. It has been infused into your day and, even though stress might still be there, you are able to see it, see where you have stopped some of your practices, and get back into it with more ease and awareness. 

These might not feel like enough or like you have changed your world completely, but any small step or change can be a huge shift and can become part of your routine and day. Over time, these just become how you live your life. 

And being an SLP, it is quite possible that you will doubt how much you do, tell yourself it is not enough, and feel pushed to do more. It comes with the perfectionism we all face being in our field. 

If you are feeling this way, or you are in the beginning stages of creating some of these patterns, it can help to have some accountability, or to keep track of what you are doing. This gets it out of your head and onto paper (or a tablet), so you can really see what you are doing and living. And that it is always enough. Having a “Tracker” can help you not to be perfectly on track, but to see what you are already doing and how far you have really come. 

I use a daily tracker-style journal to help me, in a non-stressful or perfectionist way, see what habits I am doing, how I am really doing a lot more than I give myself credit for, and to see how these habits work (and when I stop doing them, how it shows up in my world). 

These can be found in journals or you can create your own, or you can use one of the “Self-Care Trackers” that I have available in my brand new digital product shop. These really are key to help you track your self-care practice

You can download the “Self-Care Tracker Journal” of your choice, available in the SLP Stress Management Shop, then get started with some stress management and self-care resources in the SLP Toolbox (for free).

  • Monthly Self-Care Tracker
    Printable and Digital PDF
  • Weekly Self-Care Tracker Journal
    Printable and Digital PDF
  • Self-Care Tracker Journal Bundle
    Printable and Digital PDF

They are available as Monthly, Weekly, or in a bundle with both. Each comes with a guided journal practice to help you get started figuring out your Self-Care practices that you are currently using or not, and what you would like to do, as well as two versions of each tracker page. These can be downloaded, printed out, or used in a digital pdf app. 

You can download the “Self-Care Tracker Journal” of your choice, available in the SLP Stress Management Shop, then get started with some stress management and self-care resources in the SLP Toolbox (for free).

You can also join the FREE SLP Toolbox, and get access to those Self-Care tools you’ll be tracking, by subscribing below.

How do you track your self-care practice? Share in the comments below!

Much Love,

Jessi

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1Apr

An SLPs Journey through Stress and Illness: Interview with SLP Leanna Vollintine

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Podcast Stress Management
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leanna vollintine

Have you ever wondered if the mental stress you felt would ever shift to physical stress?

There are times when stress can really build up and, mentally, you know that it is really difficult. You feel tension in your thoughts, you feel drained and depleted, you might want to cry or scream, and you feel absolutely stuck. And then you just stick with it. Unfortunately, this sounds all too familiar for most SLPs who are working through stress. When it manifests mentally and emotionally, it can often feel like it is not “real” enough to deal with, that it is embarrassing, that it is not worth (and you are not worth) figuring out  – easier to power through and control more, and that it will just go away and be better soon.

FYI – these are all related back to perfectionism, which runs HUGE in our field.

And, these can really backfire. When the stress you are mentally feeling starts to stick around and grow, but is ignored or pushed aside for later, it can start to show up and manifest in other ways – affecting your relationships, your outlook, or even your physical health (I am, obviously, not a medical doctor. Please do not take this as medical advice). 

When I was in burnout, it was when things started to shift to affecting my life outside of work, my relationships, and even my physical health, that led me to really feel like I had to “escape” and leave the field. 

Recently, I had the chance to sit down, virtually, and chat with a fellow SLP, Leanna Vollintine of SpeechWorks Therapy, who has experienced this mental to physical stress firsthand, and is now sharing her story with other SLPs, in order to help spread the awareness of how stress can show up and affect your overall health and wellbeing.

In this episode we talk about:

  • Leanna’s journey with stress as an SLP
  • The different settings and jobs she tried to reduce stress
  • How it started to show up in her physical health
  • What she did, and does now, to help reduce stress and support her overall wellbeing

Here is a little more about Leanna:

Leanna Vollintine is a pediatric SLP who has been in the field for 17 years.  In 2016, she started her own private practice, where she serves children in counties west of the DFW area in Texas.  Her passion is helping those she serves to be the best communicators they can be, and helping their families be advocates for their children.  Her motto is “whatever it takes”.

Follow her on Instagram: @speechworkstherapy

Check out here TpT Store: SpeechWorks Therapy

You can tune in to our episode here or in your favorite podcast app:

If you are looking for even more ways to manage your stress, both physical and mental, make sure to check out the SLP Toolbox, a FREE resource library with everything you need to ditch the stress and overwhelm of being an SLP.

Get free downloadable meditation audios, movement audios, journal pages and more. Sign up below for access:

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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11Jan

Connecting to Your “Why” as an SLP: SLP Stress Management Podcast Interview with Phuong Lien Palafox

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Podcast Stress Management
Comments Off on Connecting to Your “Why” as an SLP: SLP Stress Management Podcast Interview with Phuong Lien Palafox

connecting to your why as an SLP

There are things that are incredibly stressful about being and SLP and they are often not fair. SLPs get into that work to help people and do good in the world, spread love and light, but instead are often worn down and feel dispassionate, overwhelmed and downright cynical after a few years in the field. It is not a setting thing, as it happens in each setting, and it is not an SLP-person specific thing, as it happens to SO many people.

These things are stressful, and it takes a LOT to change them. These are things like caseload and workload sizes (because those two things are not the same), paperwork, productivity standards, and, at times, the underpayment and cost of being an SLP. And, in 2020, jumping into new ways of being an SLP in the midst of a highly stressful global pandemic. 

The thing is, these stressors may go away at some point, but the stress never will. It will always be there and, as an SLP, you need ways to better manage it. BUT you also need ways to advocate and people who will help you do this. That way, things DO change and shifts start to happen, and we can all get back to changing lives for the better, doing more good, and creating more love and light in this world, while helping others thrive in their lives. 

That is where people like the wonderful Phuong Lien Palafox come in. I have the joy of talking to Phuong during the Fall of 2020 for an episode of the SLP Stress Management Podcast.

Here is a little more about Phuong:

Phuong Lien Palafox, MS, CCC-SLP, is a bilingual speech-language pathologist, author and advocate.  Currently, her time is meaningfully spent serving clients and their families, SLPs and educators across the United States. Her work has been featured in the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and publications for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She specializes in advocacy (for students, clients, families and speech-language pathologists), supporting students/clients through a social-justice foundation, the comprehensive needs of under-resourced communities and narrative-based interventions.  She is the author of The Heartbeat of Speech-Language Pathology. You can find more information at www.phuonglienpalafox.com.

In this episode, we talked about:

  • Phuong’s journey as an SLP and SLP Advocate
  • The importance of connecting to your “Why” as an SLP
  • Building boundaries when you are always wanting to help
  • The power behind saying “No” and asking for help
  • Connecting to your families/clients needs and wants
  • Importance of research AND connecting to people
  • Naming what you are feeling and going through 
  • Daily coping strategies to help reduce burnout and stress

You can tune in on your favorite podcast apps or listen below (or catch up on all other episodes of the podcast here) to “Connecting to Your Why as an SLP”:

How are you connecting to your “why” as an SLP?

If you are ready to dive into deeper stress management, and start thriving within your work and life, Personalized SLP Stress Management Coaching is now available and booking for 2021. Check out more details and sign up for a free 30 minute consultation/q&a session here: 1:1 Coaching or fill out the contact form below.

There are only 10 spots available at a time, so sign up before the waitlist opens 🙂

Much Love, 

Jessi

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