Samantha Jordan TLC

Our breath is our most powerful, life-giving tool. We breathe every day without thought as it’s an unconscious process. As we breathe in, the cells in our bodies receive the much-needed oxygen that they need to flourish and survive. As we breathe out the carbon dioxide, that was made by the body when it burned the food to create energy, is expelled. The carbon dioxide can become toxic to the body if it’s not expelled.

Despite the purely practical reasons why breathing is important, it is also our means of calming our nervous system and also energising us when needed. Taking the time to practice some therapeutic breathing each day is our most important first step to mindfulness. It becomes our anchor when we are over-worked, stressed, upset, overwhelmed. Interestingly when I’m teaching a class and I ask the group to take a big breath in, many tend to lift their shoulders and pull in their tummies. When I say breathe out the shoulders drop, the individual relaxes, and the tummy becomes flaccid. The therapeutic breath is actually the opposite to this, and it can feel uncomfortable at first. It feels odd … but when practiced it becomes your most powerful tool. So, let’s practice …

• Stand if possible (once practiced then sitting down is good) and place feet approximately hip distance apart with feet planted firmly to the ground.
• Take a moment to bring your attention to your feet, spread out those toes and ground yourself, know that you’re safe and secure. Standing tall with legs straight but knees soft to avoid hyperextension of the knees. Shoulders back and down. Head sitting nicely on top.
• Bring your attention to your face and notice any tension here. Soften the muscles in your face and let the mouth fall open a little to release the jaw line.
• Now place your hands on your belly and take a deep breath in through your nose for a count of 3.  As you do this, push your belly OUT intentionally. It will feel uncomfortable, but it will help the diaphragm to tighten and move downwards. This increases the space in your chest cavity and allows for a greater inhale.
• Hold the breath for a count of 4 and then exhale slowly through the mouth for the count of 5 whilst sucking the belly in. This will allow the diaphragm to relax and rise to aid a deeper exhalation. As you breathe in you start at the belly, then into the chest, finishing with the shoulders drawing back in expansion.
• As you breathe out you start with the shoulders by allowing them to sink back, empty the chest and end with drawing the belly in to aid the full exhalation.

Repeat this process four times. You can increase the length of time you  take as you practice.

Inhale 3 … hold 4 … exhale 5

Inhale 4 … hold 5 … exhale 6

Aim to have a longer out breath as you further practice.

Inhale 4 … hold 5 … exhale 7

Inhale 4 … hold 5 … exhale 8

I look forward to connecting with you next week! Love and blessings, Sam xx ❤

Using music in mindfulness can help us to connect with how we’re feeling in the moment and can often intensify an emotion, whether good or bad. Learning to face a difficult emotion through being mindful and fully present can help us to recognize it, name it, and work through why we feel that way and then consequently help us to regulate the emotion and stop our minds from running away with themselves and exaggerating the reaction. It can help prevent us from ruminating on a problem and allowing the emotional response to overwhelm us. Ruminating on a situation, is to go over and over the negative which causes increased anxiety and a propensity to catastrophise.

Music calms the soul, connects the spirit and nourishes the body! Playing or listening to music also inspires us to connect with our creative centre, stimulate positive thinking and boost our energy. If you’re feeling stressed or anxious then playing a relaxing piece of music can be calming and help you to invite peace into that moment. If you’re in need of increased energy to face a task then putting on a quiet relaxation piece might not be what you need, Darude – Sandstorm might be better!

Although mindful walking is often better done without any music so you can fully connect with the present moment, occasionally I think it’s helpful to put on some ear or headphones and play your favourite tracks in line with how you’re feeling. Visualise yourself as the star of your own movie and give that scene a name and then walk. Walk with energy and raise your vibration to moods that produce a higher state, such as joy, happiness, love. Your life is your movie after all. It’s your story! So, name the scene, choose the soundtrack for that scene and connect with it. If it’s a sad time, then choose the soundtrack that helps you to connect with that and allow yourself to feel. You can do this in the privacy of your own home in stereo if you need or want to. Maybe you need to cry, and that’s ok too.

So choose the music that supports your health and well-being this week and allow yourself to flow with the range of emotions that we all experience; and if you’re missing an emotion that you really long to feel then choose the music that will lead you to it!

Love & blessings, Sam ❤

A complete change in the appearance or character of something or someone, especially so that that thing or person is improved

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Tapping has been described as tapping into nature’s way of healing by supporting an individual on their journey into wholeness. It recognises the intrinsic link between our bodies and minds and how they work together to bring restoration and then transformation. To me, it makes sense that our creator, God, would equip us with ways to process the often incredibly distressing aspects of our human experience, especially as we live in a world full of the possibilities for pain and trauma. The loving God who created us, provided us with ways to process these experiences in a way that would bring freedom, healing and wholeness. EFT Tapping is simply one of those ways … and a remarkably effective one, especially if you include God in the process as He knows everything about you and longs for you to experience freedom and fullness of life.

As well as the possibility for suffering and trauma in the world,  I, of course, also believe in the power of love in the world and believe that we are designed for love and that God is the author of love. We are wired for love, and our bodies were designed to experience the free flow of loving, peaceful energy, but sometimes traumatic or unsettling things  can happen and when they do they can get coded into our bodies, our minds and our emotions. This then sets off a chain reaction of negative messages that are sent through the cells in our bodies that can result in mental, emotional and physical ill health. It can, and often does, also hinder the flow of love and well-being. 

Now watch the short demo and consider tapping along, and if you want to understand Tapping more then consider getting my book from Amazon (see below). I look forward see you next week, lots of love and blessings to you, Sam 🥰

If you would like to understand EFT Tapping more then look for my book on Amazon!

Often we can see ‘mindfulness’ only within the context of relaxation. An activity similar to meditation, whereby we pause our busy lives with the intention of quietening our minds and therefore sending a signal of well-being and nourishment to our emotions and bodies. We notice and savour a beautiful sunset; we notice the laughter of children; we notice the colours of the leaves in season; we notice and savour the tastes and colours of a meal. Aspects of mindfulness certainly do involve noticing and embracing the meaning of each present moment and are necessary to our well-being, but if we look briefly at a definition, it says;

a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations

This is more than just being calm and focusing on the present moment. This is acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations. So mindfulness is not just noticing what you’re doing and being present and fully conscious within that moment so that you can appreciate the colours, the sounds, or the people you are with. Sometimes it’s having the courage to turn off the distractions of the day and allowing yourself a few moments to connect in with who you are and how you are truly feeling. This really can take courage as sometimes we don’t want to allow ourselves to feel and acknowledge how we’re truly feeling. Our true thoughts and feelings can be overwhelming and upsetting, but if we allow ourselves that time of honesty, with kindness and without judging ourselves, then we can often process those thoughts and feelings and then let them go, leaving a space for peace to flow.

How?

• Consider lighting a candle, playing some quiet calming music and sit quietly for a while, simply breathing in and out. Gaze at the candle and simply notice your thoughts and your feelings and allow yourself to feel. You may become emotional about your feelings and that’s ok. If you need to cry, then cry! If you feel angry, then acknowledge that and then ask yourself some questions. Why do I feel angry? Then allow yourself to answer. Acknowledge how you’re feeling and then ask yourself what you can do about how you’re feeling right now. It’s in asking questions that our subconscious will give us answers from and for our highest good. Asking better questions will bring better outcomes. If you simply tell yourself how bad you’re feeling then you’re subconscious will remain quiet, allowing you to continue. So learn to ask yourself better questions!
• Prayer is an incredibly personal and powerful way to process how you’re feeling and thinking. Very similar to the above, you simply talk about how you’re feeling and once you have talked then you can sit in the presence of a love far greater than is fathomable. Sometimes we may not feel this love, but it is ALWAYS there, so it’s important to have faith in a higher power that knows everything about you and loves you.
• EFT Tapping. Emotional Freedom Technique is another incredible way of processing how you’re thinking and feeling. I’ll talk more about this next week, but for now, go back to the first point and as you ask yourself questions and acknowledge how you’re feeling, with kindness and without judgement, tap on your collar bone as you speak, using 2 or 3 fingers together. Breathing in and out gently tapping across your collar bone. This tapping motion sends a signal through the neuroreceptors to the Amygdala that you are not under threat and are safe, and you will find yourself becoming calm and peaceful.

Be brave this week and mindfully allow yourself to sit with how you’re truly feeling and hold a space of kindness for yourself.

Lots of love and blessings, Sam ☺

Your senses are the gateway into the present moment ~ touch, smell, taste, sound and sight. When you are preoccupied with your thoughts, you often don’t notice or appreciate what your senses are experiencing. Many would also say that your senses are the key to your soul, if we consider our souls being the thinking, feeling and conscious part of ourselves. You hear a song and it can touch you at a deeper level. It connects you emotionally and mentally and can sometimes bring sadness or it can fill you with joy. You see something and again it can trigger an emotional and mental response, sometimes good and sometimes it can be upsetting, but it connects you to you. You smell a fragrance, or a delicious food cooking and you instantly have a reaction that connects you to you. As you touch a soft cushion you feel warmth and comfort; or touch a rose thorn whilst gardening and you feel pain. You lift that fresh ground coffee to your lips and sip that soothing warm liquid and the taste makes you feel grounded and ready (if you’re a coffee lover). Again, a taste can also trigger a response from the past which again connects you to you.

As we become more mindfully aware then we allow ourselves to connect in with these responses and process what this means to us. Let’s look at some simple ways that we can use our senses to better connect to ourselves and the world around us:

• Take regular moments to pause and notice what your senses are experiencing. Learn to savour the moments, such as mindfully eating and noticing the colours and textures of your food. The smells and the tastes. Is it sweet? Is it bitter? Is it savoury? Take the time to chew each mouthful with gratitude. Try to eat an occasional meal without distractions.
• When you’re walking in natural places of beauty such as woods, nature reserves, lakes etc then allow yourself that time to focus on the colours, sounds and smells and then notice how you feel when you connect in to the energy of these created beauties.
• When you’re in the shower or the bath notice how the water and soap feel against your body. Notice how soft your clothes feel against your skin. Maybe they feel loose and comfortable or maybe they feel snug inviting a sense of security.
• Stop and experience how the cool rain feels against your face, is it light and tickles the skin? Is it sharp yet refreshing? Is it cleansing you? Nourishing you? How does the wind feel against your face ~ or the sun shining warmly on your skin?
• Notice the sound of the music that is playing in the store or on the radio. Notice how music makes you feel, and play music that connects you to you. If you’re tired then play upbeat music that lifts you. If you’re stressed and anxious then play music that calms you.
• Notice the fragrances around you and consider lighting a fragrant candle to invite peace and calm into the moment. Candle gazing is a beautiful sensory experience that centres you and nourishes you at a deep level.

All of these are very natural processes and you may say that you do most of them all the time, but so often these things happen and we don’t notice them. If you pause to notice and put love and care into even the simplest everyday tasks each day, you will start to feel better connected with yourself and the world around you, and an increased experience of love and peace in each moment.

Love and blessings to you, Sam x

Sleep is an integral aspect of self care and can elude us for a number of reasons, so good sleep hygiene (which has very little to do with cleanliness as it happens, although a warm relaxing bath before bed can be a welcome part of your preparation to sleep), is essential. Sleep hygiene is about developing the habits throughout the day and into the evening that can best prepare you for sleep. This can take time to do and as the saying goes ‘old habits die hard’. We’ll look at how to break negative habits and form new healthier ones in another blog, but this week let’s look at some good practices that aid a more restful sleep. If we’re well rested then we’ll be more productive, our immunity will be stronger, our overall health better, we’ll be less likely to get triggered by others emotionally, and better equipped to fulfil our other health goals. So, let’s look at a few ways you can support your restful sleep:

• Try to keep your bedroom for relaxing and sleeping. If you have work activities in there then your brain will struggle to associate it as a place to sleep.
• Create a beautiful space in your bedroom so that it feels relaxing and calming. Consider candle light in the evening or have a dim lamp on 30 minutes before bed.
• Get into a routine of going to bed and getting up at the same time each day (even if you haven’t slept well) to let your subconscious know that’s the ‘sleep plan’ ~ 10pm optimum bed time 😴 and some time between 6 -7am as your getting up time 😃 (even 5am is great if you’re that way inclined).
• Consider listening to a meditation before bed, or a hypnotic sleep story, whilst in your dimly lit relaxing space. Your brain waves need to be guided from Beta (which are the active brain waves needed to do cognitive tasks in the day) to Alpha and Theta to support a restful and therapeutic sleep.
• If you’re mind is racing then consider Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Tapping before bed (you’ll find more on that in my books, and I will do a separate blog on this later). It’s a wonderful technique to help you to process and let go of the days activities so that your mental and emotional state don’t keep you awake all night.
• Avoid looking at phones and other devices at least 30-60 minutes before bed. This is a biggy because WE ALL DO THIS! Well, maybe not you, BUT, many of us scroll through our phones, tablets or laptops before bed and the mental stimulation keeps us awake, and the blue light can lower our melatonin, which is needed for a natural sleep cycle.
• Wear an eye mask if needed and ear plugs. Create the peaceful environment you need.
• Don’t eat large meals too late as your body digesting the meal will disrupt your sleep.
• Avoid alcohol ~ sorry, I know, I’m a killjoy ~ but if you’re struggling to sleep then although the alcohol knocks you out initially, your sleep will most always be disrupted.
• Avoid smoking. The nicotine is a stimulant and again hinders a restful sleep.
• Exercise in the day. Whatever exercise suits you the best. It will definitely help your body prepare and need sleep later, and will rejuvenate those exercised joints and muscles.
• Use your breathing and focus on your breath as you breathe slowly in and out!
• Don’t toss and turn! If you can’t sleep after 30 minutes then read a book or do some gentle stretches in a dim light, or listen to some relaxing music.
• Use your senses! As you lay in bed, notice 5 things you can see, 5 things you can hear, 5 things you can feel, 5 things you can smell. Then notice 4 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 4 things you can feel, 4 things you can smell. Then notice 3 things you can see, 3 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel, 3 things you can smell. Then notice 2 things you can see, 2 things you can hear, 2 things you can zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

This can be a really effective technique. Even if it’s dark and you can’t see anything, you know what’s in your room so think about what you could see if it were lighter. You can repeat the same things if you need to. Use your breathing and consciously breathe slowly in and out. Maybe you can feel the quilt on your body, or a slight ache in your back, or an itch on your toe. Maybe you can hear the cars outside or the TV downstairs, or the sound of your breathing. Perhaps you can smell the lotion on your body, the fabric softener on the bed clothes or the smell of the meal lingering from earlier. Use your senses to connect in to yourself and your environment, and sleep will find you.

Sleep well my friends, Love and blessings, Sam xx

In terms of our mental, emotional and physical health self care is essential, but is often an area we overlook. We can have the misconception that taking time to care for ourselves is selfish, and if you’re a parent then that message can take a life of its own and can feel like a ‘truth’ that is wrapped up in guilt. Whether you’re a parent or not, I need you to stop, breathe and take a moment to reflect on what YOU do to take care of yourself. ‘Self care’ needs to be an intentional and conscious act. It’s not crashing out in front of the TV, watching YouTube, scrolling through Facebook and other social media forums (as enjoyable as all that is at times). It’s about looking at YOUR schedule and intentionally putting in some self care activities. Yes, it’s about balance, and when we have responsibilities to others we need to manage our responsibilities. But we really need to stop waiting for the day when we think someone or something will rescue us and make our lives less stressful or more manageable. Waiting for the day when ‘something’ changes which will mean we are NOW able to look after ourselves better. At this moment in time your life is your life, and whether you set it up that way or it simply has developed into the shape that it is, ONLY YOU can make the changes that you need. Appreciate that small changes made consistently will bring a big change later on down the road of YOUR life’s journey.

Next week I’ll talk about a few ways that we can self care, but for now, STOP! Take a breath ~ focus on your breathing ~ and as you breathe slowly in and out ~ close your eyes gently ~ relax the muscles around your face and around your eyes ~ let your mouth fall open just a little and relax your jaw line ~ and breathe ~ in ~ and out ~ in ~ and out ~ in ~ and out! Your breath is your most powerful tool to calm and relax you. It will help you to become more focused and centred. If your mind is racing with thoughts, simply notice the thoughts, without judgement and then bring your attention back to your breath and anchor yourself. The storms of life will always come and your breath is your anchor and will calm your inner storm. Take some time this week to intentionally breathe and reflect on what you’re doing to look after YOU. Remember, it’s not a selfish act! If YOU look after YOU then you’ll be more present for those you love. Breathe in and out ~ in and out! Don’t underestimate the power of the simple!

Love and Blessings to you & I’ll see you next week, Sam xx

Thank you so much for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter

Izakk Walton

I took this selfie a few years ago when I realised that no-one was attending my class that day; so I sent it to my hubby with the line “Billy No Mates” and a sad emoji 😢. Today this photo jumped out at me and I realised that so many of us are sitting alone in an empty room. We’re smiling on the outside but on the inside we’re crying out for warmth, love and the need for someone to say that they see us and truly care. As an introverted extrovert, I’m a self -professed isolator who, like a rabbit (metaphorically) hops out into the field to play but whenever anyone comes near me (too close), then I scurry back down my rabbit hole; so self isolating hasn’t been that tough on me. Until today when I realised that even I am missing being able to just drop round and see those that I love. No man (or woman) is an island and we were not created to be alone. Yes we have different personality types and we need to accept that about ourselves, but we were created to connect and to give and receive love & kindness.

Today I also realised that it’s really not about ME and how I’m doing, It’s about YOU and how YOU’RE doing. So I’ve decided to start a new Well-being blog and it’s about me caring for YOU. It’s about having a weekly boost of some kind that will hopefully support you to travel the rest of the week with a refreshed perspective. It’s about well-being so it will have lots of little nuggets of wisdom and insights to support you mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. So, you’ll never know from one week to the next what you might read. One week may resonate with you more than another and that’s ok, I just want to support you, especially through these current difficult times. So, for now, know that YOU are loved! Know that YOU are seen! Know that YOU are cared for!

Even if you’re sat in a room, all alone today! Love and blessings, Sam ❤ xx