tea, stacking pebbles and the goddess of the deep breath

Oh good golly, friends...

Life here has gotten entangled yet again in things that are beyond our control, so I am popping in for just a quick hello and make good on my promise to share a few things that help keep me sane/balanced. Not the carefully constructed post I had envisioned...bit I am "showing up" today anyhow.

Five simple things to try when you are feeling tightly wound...

1. Brew a pot of tea, but take time to make a ritual of it. Warm your pot before you brew the tea. Give the tea a good inhale with your nose before you spoon it into the pot. Notice the water's steam as you pour it over the tea. Cover it all with a cozy if you have one. When you pour the tea into your mug, be sure to wrap your hands around the curved comfort of the mug. Sip and enjoy. For an extra special treat, brew some jasmine pearls in a glass mug and watch the pods gracefully unfurl in the hot water.
2. If you don't have time to do a whole yoga session, try some restorative poses with a yoga bolster (I just priced them out, "make vs purchase", and decided to buy one. It's aqua. :-). I  discovered this quick video which is quite helpful. If you are not able to get down onto the floor to use a bolster, try sitting in a chair, and simply stretch your arms over your head and take some very deep inhales and exhales. Twist gently at your waist and breathe some more. Taking whatever time you have to relax and meditate, even for a little bit, can shift your attitude.
3. I often keep a little wooden Buddha or smooth pebble in my jeans pocket. If I am waiting in line somewhere and getting twitchy it reminds me to catch up with one of my best friends. I call her the goddess of the deep breath. I wrote about her here. 
4. Read poetry. It's magic.
5. I posted about stacking pebbles ten years ago! Check it out here.

I've been doodling a bit and thinking about how much I love mandalas. I have some ideas about daily hand stitching on a mandala, without an outcome in mind. Just see where the fabrics, threads and colors take me. Letting go. Relaxing.

How about you?

What are some of your simplest "go to" tactics for coping with the days that you find most challenging?

xo