Mindfulness techniques offer us so much, but nothing is more important than paying attention to what your body needs. Today, we practice self-directed breathwork to help check in with how we feel and care for ourselves. Takeaways: 1- Your body is powerful. 2- By slowing down and checking in with it, you can better connect to what you need. 3- Bring attention to your breath and see how breathwork can affect the way you feel. --- Mantra: I offer my body what it needs. --- Founded by two women of c...
Oct 21, 2020•10 min
Our emotions require care and space to build up their strength. Today's meditation shows us how to build our emotional immunity by processing our feelings regularly. Takeaways: 1- Emotional immunity means being in touch with your feelings and processing them regularly. 2- Notice what's coming up inside of you and try to label it. 3- Release it by acknowledging it's part of you, without letting it take over. --- Mantra: I process and release my emotions. --- Founded by two women of color, Shine i...
Oct 20, 2020•11 min
Today we're setting the intention to challenge the rules we've set that may hold us back. Grab that journal! Takeaways: 1- We often create rules for ourselves because we crave order or want to feel protected from our worries or insecurities. 2- But they can keep us small, holding us back from growth and the big lives we deserve. 3- Push back on your self-imposed beliefs. You have the power to challenge and rewrite the rules. --- Mantra: I can challenge and rewrite my rules. --- Founded by two wo...
Oct 19, 2020•13 min
We're quick to empathize with other people, but sometimes it can be hard to do it with ourselves. Today's meditation is a practice in observing and identifying your emotions through self-empathy. Takeaways: 1- Empathy is recognizing and identifying your feelings. 2- To feel empathy for ourselves is to know that our feelings are part of being human. 3- Reflect on an emotion, and notice where it might be coming from and what you can offer yourself, the same way you would a friend. --- Mantra: I of...
Oct 16, 2020•9 min
Boundaries can help us protect our mental energy—and it’s always helpful to check in and reset them. Today we're practicing setting boundaries, worrying intentionally, and identifying what we can do to take action. Takeaways: 1- Our worries follow us along, from doing the dishes to going to bed. 2- Offer yourself the practice of deliberate worry time, so you can get them out of your head and onto paper. 3- Reflect on something worrying you and notice if it's actionable or not—then let it go. ---...
Oct 15, 2020•9 min
We often carry our stress in certain parts of our bodies. Today we'll connect with those points and relax them with gentle movement, so you can move with the day stress-free. Takeaways: 1- We know stress lives in our minds, but it can also live in our bodies. 2- We often carry tension in our neck, shoulders, hands and feet. 3- Stretch these muscles regularly and check in with where you might be carrying stress in your body. --- Mantra: I release the stress I carry. --- Founded by two women of co...
Oct 14, 2020•14 min
So many of us want to be perfect at everything right away. But when we're brave enough to let ourselves struggle or fail, we open up to all the joy and progress we may get out of an activity. Takeaways: 1- It's human to want to be perfect at something right away. 2- Remind yourself that trying something new means being bad at it, and that's okay. 3- Focus on what you get out of the activity, regardless of your own ability. --- Mantra: I give myself permission to be bad. --- Founded by two women ...
Oct 13, 2020•8 min
As our needs change, so should our self-care. Today we're taking stock of our self-care practices and setting the intention to move forward with what serves us best. Grab your journal! Takeaways: 1- We can have what feels like a catalog of self-care practices. 2- We use some more than others or we even outgrow them if they no longer serve us. 3- Do your current practices support your needs? Audit your routine and make updates to works best for you. --- Mantra: I will support my needs as they cha...
Oct 12, 2020•12 min
Happy World Mental Health Day! In this special weekend Daily Shine, we're honoring our wellbeing and community with a special loving-kindness meditation. Be sure to share this meditation with someone special—listen and care for your mental health together. Takeaways: 1- Caring for our mental health is a very personal journey, but it's not one that you have to navigate alone. 2- The more open we are about our wellbeing the more self-compassion and empathy we build. 3- Your love and kindness are e...
Oct 10, 2020•12 min
It's okay to feel socially anxious when you aren't seeing your people as often. Today, offer yourself grace in the face of social anxiety with a smile meditation. Takeaways: 1- It's OK if you feel socially anxious—it's one of the challenges so many of us are going through right now. 2- Find ways to practice being social in a safe way, and remember not to judge yourself for a natural outcome of your situation. 3- Smile to yourself gently as an offering, with deep breaths and positive mantras. ---...
Oct 09, 2020•8 min
Anxious thoughts can get the best of all of us, especially at bedtime. Today, we'll walk through a progressive muscle relaxation technique you can use to ground yourself and calm your mind for sleep. Takeaways: 1- Sleep anxiety can cause a lack of sleep, which then triggers more anxiety during the day. It can be a tough cycle to break. 2- In addition to sleep hygiene, offer yourself deep breaths and body relaxation techniques before bed. 3- Tense and relax groups of muscles one by one, holding f...
Oct 08, 2020•8 min
You can handle this day exactly as it is. Today, we tap into our body's wisdom and resilience with a hand-on-heart meditation to calm our stress from within. Takeaways: 1- Moving through our feelings is important for building resilience. 2- Tap into your body's natural resilience by mindfully calming your nervous system in times of stress. 3- Place a hand on your heart and recall a time you felt safe and loved. Feel what comes up. --- Mantra: My body is resilient and wise. --- Founded by two wom...
Oct 07, 2020•9 min
Nature isn't just healing—it can teach us lessons in patience, kindness, and empathy. Today, reflect on some of the ways you can care for yourself the same way we care for plants. Takeaways: 1- Being around nature can offer health benefits and increase mental wellness too. 2- Plants also teach us how we can exist through seasons where we may need different forms of care. 3- Notice what it takes to care for yourself today—each day is different, and that's okay. --- Mantra: I nourish my inner gard...
Oct 06, 2020•7 min
You can handle this day exactly as it is. Today, we tap into our body's wisdom and resilience with a hand-on-heart meditation to calm our stress from within. Takeaways: 1- Moving through our feelings is important for building resilience. 2- Tap into your body's natural resilience by mindfully calming your nervous system in times of stress. 3- Place a hand on your heart and recall a time you felt safe and loved. Feel what comes up. --- Mantra: My body is resilient and wise. --- Founded by two wom...
Oct 05, 2020•13 min
Our brains need time to switch gears, and that's where transition rituals come in handy. Today's meditation helps you reflect on what habits you can create to transition your focus and energy smoothly. Takeaways: 1- Transition rituals are the habits that signal to our brains that it's time to move our focus. 2- Reflect on your day and notice when procrastination and distraction pop up. 3- Fill in the gap with a purposeful habit that gives you what you need—whether it's grounding or joyful, or so...
Oct 02, 2020•7 min
Today, let’s check in with your energy and accept it without judging yourself. Notice how you can give yourself what you need if you’re feeling depleted. Takeaways: 1- We draw on our "surge capacity" when we’re in stressful conditions to help us cope—and it can impact our energy levels. 2- Now is a great time to check in with yourself and your energy. 3- Accept how you feel and see how you can replenish your energy in response. --- Mantra: I accept my energy as it changes. --- Founded by two wom...
Oct 01, 2020•7 min
You have everything you need in your breath. Use it to calm yourself in moments of stress or energize yourself to focus better. Practice with today's meditation. Takeaways: 1- Our breath moves with our feelings and thoughts, and we can practice harnessing that power. 2- Reflect on how you're feeling, and what you breath is doing. 3- Offer yourself what you need, whether it's relaxation or higher energy, with deep breaths and visualization. --- Mantra: My breath is here for me. --- Founded by two...
Sep 30, 2020•10 min
How you end your day matters, and it can shape your perspective of your work or responsibilities. Today's meditation helps you choose to focus on small wins and progress, rather than what's inevitably leftover. Takeaways: 1- If we end our day thinking of what didn't get done, we'll always feel like we're falling behind. 2- Instead, honor your progress and what you accomplished, even if it was small. 3- Make yourself a "done" list: reflect on everything you got done and notice how it feels. --- M...
Sep 29, 2020•8 min
Today we're setting the intention to be vulnerable and we'll start by getting open and honest with ourselves. Grab that journal! Takeaways: 1- Vulnerability is a choice but one that lets you build trust with yourself and others. 2- But open and honest conversations can feel intimidating. It's human. 3- Being vulnerable is a great strength. Start by opening up with yourself—it allows you to build the confidence to do the same with others. --- Mantra: My vulnerability starts from within. --- Found...
Sep 28, 2020•13 min
We’re taking a cue from Tracee Ellis Ross and recognizing that “our best” can change day-to-day. In this meditation, we take time to ask: What does my best look like right now? Takeaways: 1- Checking in with yourself is important, but remember not to measure yourself against outside circumstances. 2- Ask yourself what your best is and remember that it changes each day. 3- Practice breathwork while asking yourself: What is my best right now? --- Mantra: I decide what my best is. --- Founded by tw...
Sep 25, 2020•9 min
Our life experiences shape us in profound ways—how we move through the world, how we see ourselves, and of course our mental health. Today we're talking about coping and healing with the help of The Four Bodies , an incredible framework writer Jacquelyn Ogorchukwu ( @ogorchukwuu ) brought to our attention. Takeaways: 1- Our experiences shaped by hardship and historic struggle are a lot of weight to carry. 2- The effects of racial trauma like stress, depression, fatigue, and anxiety, can make hea...
Sep 24, 2020•11 min
It's time for a midweek check-in! No matter how you're feeling, it's always worthwhile to practice grounding and soothing yourself through mindfulness. That way, you can better connect to the present when you feel anxious or fearful. Takeaways: 1- When we're caught up in anxiety, our mind can wander off away from the present. 2- Practice mindfulness by focusing on the body and breath. 3- The more we get familiar with these practices, the easier they become when we feel panicked or anxious. --- M...
Sep 23, 2020•9 min
We may feel shaken up when our jobs, routines, or lifestyles change. Today's meditation helps you practice noticing all the different branches that make up who you are. Takeaways: 1- We all have a tendency to define ourselves by our careers or routines or pursuits. 2- The truth is, our identities are like trees and those parts are just branches. 3- Meditate on what the branches of your tree are and notice the ones that don't rely on external circumstances. --- Mantra: I am rooted in who I am. My...
Sep 22, 2020•8 min
Today we're setting the intention to make our self-talk more encouraging and impactful. Grab your journal! Takeaways: 1- Our self-talk is impactful and guiding. 2- Motivate and encourage yourself, even more, when you say it out loud. 3- Speak to yourself with kindness whenever you need a boost. You are your biggest cheerleader. --- Mantra: I will speak to myself with kindness. --- Founded by two women of color, Shine is on a mission to make mental health more inclusive, representative, and acces...
Sep 21, 2020•10 min
We may feel a sense of guilt for being joyful or happy while others suffer. Give yourself permission to feel all of your valid, human emotions through today's meditation. Takeaways: 1- With joy or gratitude or accomplishment may come a sense of guilt—like we're not allowed to be okay when others suffer. 2- Judging our own emotions isn't helpful because all of our emotions are valid. 3- Accept your feelings for what they are and the fact that they're a part of you. --- Mantra: All of my emotions ...
Sep 18, 2020•9 min
Our energy flows like water—and sometimes it can leak. Today let's notice how our energy may be leaking and what we can do to redirect it to what matters most to us. Takeaways: 1- Your energy is precious. Save it for what matters most to you. 2- Notice how your energy is being directed towards things that don't serve you. 3- Think about an action you can take to patch up the leak, whether it's time management or a new perspective. --- Mantra: I direct my energy to what matters. --- Founded by tw...
Sep 17, 2020•8 min
As much as our emotions move us, we are always anchored with gravity. Today, check in with yourself and notice the power of feeling stillness inside and out. Takeaways: 1- Tuning into gravity helps us feel grounded, even if our emotions are all over the place. 2- Check in with what's on your mind and how your body feels. 3- Slowly melt into total stillness, feeling the Earth beneath you and gravity holding you down. --- Mantra: I am grounded with gravity. --- Founded by two women of color, Shine...
Sep 16, 2020•9 min
We may have a harder time celebrating accomplishments like we used to, but we always have our small wins. Today's meditation helps you take pride in the things that help you take care of yourself every day. Takeaways: 1- Celebrating your small wins boosts your happiness, and reminds you of the progress you're making. 2- Reflect on something you've done today that made you feel pride and happiness. 3- Notice how this small win helps you take care of yourself in a challenging time. --- Mantra: I t...
Sep 15, 2020•6 min
Our feelings can be fleeting, making us feel that we're at the whim of their control. Today we're setting the intention to surround ourselves with comfort when we need it. Grab that journal! Takeaways: 1- Our feelings our predictable—they can be fleeting or influenced by things outside of our control. 2- Set the intention to surround yourself with things that can comfort or make you feel good to create positive feelings when you need them. 3- What activities or comforting items lift your spirits...
Sep 14, 2020•12 min
When we dig into our emotions, we can see what they may be telling us. In today's meditation, we write letters to our feelings to get space and perspective from them—and show them some love. Takeaways: 1- When we're overwhelmed or confused by our feelings, we can write letters to them. 2- This helps us get perspective on what our emotions may be telling us. 3- Reflect on what a particular feeling could be helping you with—even if it's usually considered negative. --- Mantra: I can explore my emo...
Sep 11, 2020•7 min
