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#monthlydoseof: May and June updates!


Hi guys! 👋 Long time no talk. I've been off of social media (we'll get to that later), so I wanted to catch you up on what I've been up to the past 2 months for my #monthlydoseof challenges! I'll keep it short and sweet, promise! 

MAY
My challenge for the month of May was to get a #monthlydoseof meditation. Speaking of meditation, does this conversation sound familiar to you:

Them: "Hey, do you meditate?"
You: "Ugh, I've tried, but I'm SOOOO bad at it" 

This used to be me to a T. I love the idea of meditating, but I always end up daydreaming, praying, or falling asleep. I knew I wanted to give it a sincere shot this month, so I enlisted a little help with the Oak App (link here). It has sessions for meditation, breathing, and sleeping, and you can personalize the session by choosing which voice is used, the type of background noise and the length of the session. The app looks like this: 
During May, I did 5-minute sessions of "Loving-Kindness" meditation every other day. I found that I like guided meditations the best, a male voice, and soft rain in the background. These choices provided me with the calmest and most productive sessions. The Loving-Kindness meditation is different than I expected; it's more about positivity towards yourself and others. Even though it was basic, it was very serene and truly helped my overall temperament (Jon thought it was a little corny, but to each his own😠). 
I also did breathing exercises multiple times each day, often in the middle of work, on the subway or in a meeting. I especially like the box-breathing techniques and the breath-holds. Our breathing pace is connected to the rest of our body, so in times of stress/anxiety, our hearts speed up. These breathing techniques have been instrumental in regulating myself during anxious or tough moments. It’s really powerful to be able to take control of your body and mind when you feel out of control! Much to my surprise, I still do breathing exercises daily and highly recommend trying it out.

So, what did I learn? I found that I was falling asleep faster and easier. I also realized that my mind doesn’t have to be working constantly or be “on” all day, every day. It's okay to just be still. I still get antsy meditating haven't gotten past 5-8 minutes, but hey, it's about progress, not perfection, right?! Most importantly, I learned that there are several different types of meditation out there, so if you're "not good" at one type, try a different one! 

JUNE
June is the one you've all been waiting for, so here we go: This month I got a #monthlydoseof no social media. No Facebook, No Insta, Nothing. To be honest, I've been delaying this monthly challenge, but at the beginning of the month a good friend of mine said she was giving up social media, so having a friend to lean on for this challenge was the motivation I needed (thanks, Lily!💋).

I’m not kidding when I say I immediately felt a huge weight off my shoulders. I had more free time, more emotional space, and didn't worry about what others were doing all month. Now THAT is the definition of JOMO (Joy of Missing Out): when you truly are so content with where you are and who you're with, that you're not thinking about anything else.  
Source: unknown
I wish I had deeper revelations for you, but honestly it was just a good month. Like, a really good, healthy, happy, productive month. I read a lot, spent more time outside, and felt more peaceful overall. I don’t feel like I need to post every day to put on a facade of being busy and being social all the time. I am still those things, but don't feel the need to prove it 24/7. I hope I can stay this way! 

On a side note, a few people reached out to my hubby when they couldn't find me on social media. I plan to take breaks from social media more often in the future, so if you can't find me, then reach out for my personal number or email! I'd love to stay in touch! 💗

Stay tuned for a very fun and interesting challenge that I'm doing in July! 

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