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“Embracing your true self radiates a natural beauty that cannot be diluted or ignored.”
~ Steve Maraboli
Practicing “Inside-Out” is trademark at The Dailey Method. But what does this really mean in our bodies and in our lives? How do we get better at tuning-out the noise of the outside world, and tuning-in to our deep selves? EMBRACE is our word of the month for March, and these are some ways to practice tuning-in so you can “Burn Bright” in your life.
LOCATE YOUR COMPASS – During our day to day lives most of us are driven by, and constantly responding to, the needs of others. Our work, family, friends and to-do lists pull us, oftentimes in directions that we don’t necessarily choose. This is directing us based on an external compass. Try to see if you can start to notice that tendency, and tune inward instead. Learn to locate your inner compass, and let it determine what you will say “Yes” and “No” throughout your day instead of responding to the outside pressures. I hear so often women say to me “I really wish I had just said no.” “No” is a practice and an important component of self-care. By saying “no” more often you can allow to make space for a bigger “yes!”- for the things that are really important in your life and can add value instead of stress or busyness. In your TDM practice, try to use external supports like your teacher’s cues, music, and the positive energy of other students to help you, but keep remembering to tune back inward as a priority. If you’re not sure what “flow” to follow, follow the flow of your own breath. Pay attention to what your body needs in each exercise. Start to truly trust your internal compass.
NOTICE WHAT’S GOOD – The same way we all have a tendency to externalize our compass, we also tend to notice things that need “fixing”, that are not “perfect”, that we “wish were different.” Try this: Right from the beginning of class, set an intention to notice and EMBRACE what is good and what is working vs. what you think is wrong or needs to change. Pick at least one thing that’s great to KEEP throughout your practice and then allow the rest to flow and GROW from there. This is a great way to train your brain for a life-practice. As you get better at embracing what’s good in your own body/TDM practice, you’ll get better at embracing what is good all day long. Embrace the fullness of each moment, and notice you really don’t need to change much at all. This moment is enough, you are always enough, and life is good. Be grateful for the positive in the now.
EMBRACE YOURSELF – Literally! Use the muscular energy in your body to EMBRACE yourself from the inside-out. Imagine hugging your muscles around your bones, drawing energy to your focal point, pulling into your strong center. You can also practice this figuratively. Think about your inner fire, and think about words that help you remember and appreciate who YOU are! Remember you need to feed your own fire first. When you learn to tap your own inner energy you’ll have so much more to share.
EMBRACE OTHERS – Research shows that a 20-second HUG is one of life’s most powerful emotional cocktails. Hugging for 20 seconds floods our body with high levels of oxytocin, and has been shown to create powerful bonds and increase happiness and trust. Scientists suggest trying to hug eight times a day! So…. hug your friends, family, loved ones – maybe even strangers?! Ok, at least send strangers you encounter “mental hugs” by making eye contact, smiling and sending love. Also notice your practice of embracing yourself and notice what is good makes you BETTER at doing this for others, too.
KEEP PRACTICING FLOW – Here’s a great reminder: Emotion = E-Motion = Energy-in-Motion. Embracing is about allowing ourselves to tune-in and feel deeply. But when emotions we don’t like show up, do we hold onto them or forgive and let go? Because all emotion is “energy in motion” we need to experience and then release feelings – let them flow as they are meant to. Otherwise they can get “stuck” and negatively impact us, becoming deep anger, resentment, illness, etc. Keep building on our February word of the month and allow energy and emotions to FLOW. Practice this during your Dailey Method classes and your brain will start to learn new patterns, shifts will start to occur and your life could change for the better. But, remember, life is pretty darn good in this moment, so EMBRACE it.
Sending you a big 20-second HUG right now!
— Jill & Lorna
“Embrace life. It is either pleasuring you, offering you opportunities, or teaching you.”