“If the ocean can calm itself, so can you.” - Poet Nayyirah Waheed. Today, we look to the ocean to inspire our visualization and breath practice. Takeaways: 1- By mimicking the sound of the ocean, “ocean breathing” helps us center and heal during stressful life situations. 2- Like the ocean itself, we might feel tossed and turned by the demands put on us by others or society. 3- Look deep inside yourself to connect to your core values which remain even in times of turmoil. --- Mantra: My breath ...
Jan 13, 2021•9 min
It can be hard to get started on a project—and the bigger the task, the harder it often seems. Today, we’ll use a tool called the “Now Step” to get unstuck and start moving forward on the things that matter to us. Takeaways: 1- There are a million different ways to procrastinate, but when we are putting off something we genuinely want, it often has to do with fear or indecision. 2- The longer we hold off on doing something, the more negative emotions—such a guilt or shame—can build, making us ev...
Jan 12, 2021•10 min
In our busy lives: It’s easy to forget to check in with ourselves. But there are simple ways to make it a habit. Today, join us for a moment of self-reflection and to make a plan for how you’ll check in with yourself throughout your week. Grab that journal! Takeaways: 1- In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it’s easy to forget to check in with ourselves. 2- Before we can shift our mindset, we need to acknowledge where we’re at. And we can do this with a self check-in. 3- Creating a check...
Jan 11, 2021•13 min
The pressure to be busy all the time can make rest feel out of the question—but your brain and body deserve it. Today, we reflect on the intention: “I will let myself rest.” Takeaways: 1- Rest is essential to our physical and mental wellbeing. 2- Rest isn’t just about physical rest—it is also about finding moments to step back and process all that you’re taking in every day. 3- Try to find opportunities for “soft fascination” throughout your day to give your mind opportunities to relax and recha...
Jan 08, 2021•9 min
You deserve to treat yourself like a friend, especially in moments when you miss the mark. Today, we reflect on the intention: “I will be kind to myself.” Written by Tiana Brawley, M.S.W. Takeaways: 1- Self-kindness means having a deeper acceptance of yourself in the present moment. 2- We can greet our inner critic with curiosity instead of giving it all our power. 3- Practice taking the mic from your inner critic and speaking to it with self-compassion. --- Mantra: I will be kind to myself. ---...
Jan 07, 2021•7 min
When confronted with change, often our instinct is to resist or deny it. But change is a necessary part of growth. Today, we reflect on the intention: “I will breathe through change.” Takeaways: 1- Change is a necessary, but often stressful, part of life. 2- Instead of resisting change, we can focus on our breath to help us accept and move forward into new ways of being. 3- Breath exercises can calm and center us, or energize us as we move through cycles of stress and challenge. --- Intention: I...
Jan 06, 2021•9 min
It’s easy to get caught up in our thoughts and feelings—but we can find small ways to create the peace we seek. Today, we reflect on the intention: “I will find moments of calm." Takeaways: 1- No matter how busy we are, we have time to find moments of calm and stillness inside our day. 2- We can find calm by focusing on the details of any task we’re doing—even doing the dishes. 3- Tune into the present moment whenever you need it—it’s always there for you. --- Intention: I will find moments of c...
Jan 05, 2021•8 min
To kick off 2021: We’re exploring each of the 5 new weekly intentions you can set in the Shine app. Consider them your self-care toolkit for 2021. Today’s intention: I will believe in myself. Grab that journal! Takeaways: 1- You come into 2021 carrying all the knowledge, wisdom, and strength of your past. 2- We are better able to manage challenges when we believe in ourselves. 3- Remember the moments when you’ve believed in yourself before, and actively cultivate that feeling in the face of self...
Jan 04, 2021•13 min
Welcome to 2021. Today: We’ll help you set an intention for your year—and hear intentions from some of Shine’s favorite people. Grab that journal! And share your intention with us using #My2021Intention. Takeaways: 1- The new year holds so much possibility, and an intention can be your North Star to navigate what each day brings. 2- While goals focus on what you’ll achieve in the future, an intention focuses on how you want to think, act, or be in the present moment. 3- Set an intention using “I...
Jan 01, 2021•17 min
It’s the final day of our 2020 reflection—and we’re using it to get in tune with our sense of hope, even in the face of uncertainty. Grab that journal! Takeaways: 1- Hope and optimism are not the same thing. 2- We can cultivate hope by engaging with the unpredictability of the future. 3- Find hope by expanding your sense of possibility for a different tomorrow. --- Mantra: I greet the new year with hope. --- If you like listening to the Daily Shine, download the Shine app, named one of the Best ...
Dec 31, 2020•11 min
On day three of our 2020 reflection, we focus on finding moments of resilience in the past year. Grab that journal! Takeaways: 1- Resilience is the ability to bounce back when life hands us tough circumstances. 2- Resilience often means sticking with something even when it gets hard, but it can also mean resting or caring for ourselves and others in tough situations. 3- Resilience is a self-fulfilling prophecy—our ability to cope increases our belief that we can handle whatever comes our way. --...
Dec 30, 2020•12 min
Today, we continue our 2020 reflection by asking: What did you learn you need this year? Grab that journal! Takeaways: 1- When something in our lives feels lacking, we can use it as a cue to figure out what we need from ourselves and others. 2- We all have physical, emotional, and intellectual needs—addressing all three can help us feel more balanced. 3- Tough years and circumstances teach us about our needs and help us develop strategies to make sure they’re met --- Mantra: I’m learning what I ...
Dec 29, 2020•11 min
The countdown to 2021 is on. But first: Let's take a look back. We're kicking off Reflection Week 2020 and starting today by celebrating our small wins. Grab that journal! Takeaways: 1- You've collected wins all year, whether you realized them or not. 2- We often look for big accomplishments when we reflect on our year, but many small wins got us to today. 3- Small, personal wins are just as important as major life events. --- Mantra: I am proud of myself. --- If you like listening to the Daily ...
Dec 28, 2020•10 min
We end our Best of the Daily Shine week with one of our favorite topics: Gratitude. Today's open meditation will help you show appreciation to others. What our members think: “Quarantining by myself right now and this was what I needed. I’m grateful for my crew, even if I can’t see them IRL.” Takeaways: 1- When we show gratitude in our relationships, it strengthens our connection with that person. 2- Our connections help us lead a longer, more satisfying life. And they show that person that we s...
Dec 25, 2020•9 min
Today, our Best of the Daily Shine 2020 episode will help you feel grounded in all the branches that make you who you are. What our members think: “This was cathartic, and I needed to hear this said out loud.” 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...
Dec 24, 2020•8 min
As we explore the Best of the Daily Shine from 2020: Today, we revisit a breathing meditation all about color. What our members are saying: “As an artist, this meditation has a special place in my heart.” Takeaways: 1- The study of color is a form of environmental psychology—the research of how our physical world affects our brain. 2- Certain colors can calm us, energize us, or stress us out. But everyone is different. 3- Practice breathing intentionally and visualizing a positive color you want...
Dec 23, 2020•10 min
Today’s Best of the Daily Shine episode is all about communicating your needs by asking yourself: Do I need empathy or strategy? What our members think of it: “Can't tell you enough how this transformed my thinking.” Takeaways: 1- Our friends are so important to our mental health, and when they have problems we want to be there for them. 2-Everyone has a way they like to be supported, and knowing those needs helps us show up for ourselves and each other. 3- Notice your own needs through this fil...
Dec 22, 2020•10 min
This week: We’re celebrating the best Daily Shine episodes from 2020. Today’s episode will help you tap into what your most cared for self looks like. What our members are saying: “I keep coming back to this one. Such an eye-opener!” Takeaways: 1-Our lives naturally ebb and flow in so many ways, and that can include how we take care of ourselves. 2- Ask yourself when you felt like your most cared for self, and dig into every detail that comes with who that self was. 3- As you reflect, notice the...
Dec 21, 2020•9 min
There are some things that we put off enjoying because we are waiting for a special occasion—but we *are* the occasion. Today, we dive into a meditation practice designed to help us trust our worth and find opportunities for celebration and joy. Takeaways: 1- Slowing down and asking ourselves what we might be putting off can help us find opportunities for joy that we aren’t taking. 2- We do not need to prove our worth or have a reason to enjoy ourselves. 3- Practice finding opportunities for ple...
Dec 18, 2020•7 min
Avoiding toxic people and situations is healthy—but in other situations, it benefits us to push back on that instinct. Today, we dive into a visualization to help you turn avoidance into action. Takeaways: 1- Avoidance is when our protective instinct goes into overdrive, causing us to dodge situations that are necessary or even helpful but make us feel anxiety, fear, or shame. 2- Avoidance tends to snowball—the longer we put off dealing with something, the more emotionally loaded that trigger ca...
Dec 17, 2020•9 min
When things go wrong and we start to panic, we can soothe ourselves by simply changing our breath. Today, we dive into a breath practice to help us return to a place of peace in those moments. Takeaways: 1- We can stop stress in its tracks by changing our breathing patterns. 2- Practicing our “natural breath” can help us learn how to breathe fully in our day-to-day life. 3- Try alternate nostril breathing to increase your breath control and prepare for deeper meditative practices. --- Mantra: My...
Dec 16, 2020•10 min
On those days when self-care feels impossible: You can use “keystone habits” to soothe your stress and anxiety in small ways. Learn how with today’s meditation. Takeaways: 1- Keystone habits are small habits that can set you up for other good things in your day. 2- Self-care doesn’t have to take hours—even small acts can make a huge difference. 3- When you focus on impact over effort, you’re preserving your energy while caring for yourself. --- Mantra: I can make time to care for myself. --- If ...
Dec 15, 2020•8 min
We all go through moments of feeling stuck. With today’s meditation, learn how to extend compassion to yourself when your next step is unclear and an exercise to find your way forward. Takeaways: 1- It’s human to freeze up when we’re facing a new challenge or big decision. 2- In those moments: Be honest with yourself about feeling stuck and greet yourself with compassion. 3- Take your next step forward by thinking through your options, taking action, and then checking in with how you feel. --- M...
Dec 14, 2020•13 min
It’s easy to feel like our worth is tied to how much work we can get done in a day—or how busy we seem to those around us. Today, take a moment to release that pressure and remember those factors don’t determine who you are or your value. Takeaways: 1- Your schedule or busyness does not determine your value in this world. 2- Notice the moments when you question your worth and ask yourself: How can I show myself compassion? 3- Give yourself permission to release the guilt you might feel and remem...
Dec 11, 2020•9 min
Newness is something that can help our mood and improve our cognition- but a change of mindset can help us find novelty even when our days seem to all be the same. Today, we dive into a meditation practice designed to help us practice seeing our lives in a new light. Takeaways: 1- We can cultivate “newness” in our lives by changing up our patterns of life or by changing our mindset. 2- Tiny changes to our routine can help us break from monotony. 3- Cultivate a beginner’s mind to find novelty and...
Dec 10, 2020•9 min
We always belong—and slowing down and connecting to the present moment can remind us of that. In today’s meditation, we’ll use the four elements—earth, fire, water, air—to help you find stillness and feel more connected to the world around you. Takeaways: 1- Grounding helps us tune into the present moment—and once we do: We can feel a greater sense of belonging. 2- Use the four elements–earth, fire, water, and air—as anchors to help you get present and feel connected to the world around you. 3- ...
Dec 09, 2020•10 min
How you start your day can impact everything that follows, from your mood to motivation. Reflect on your “productive mood anchor” and make mornings a bright spot with this meditation. Takeaways: 1- How we start our day can impact our mood and motivation for the rest of the day. 2- A “productive mood anchor” is any joyful action that gets you in a good headspace to tackle the day ahead. 3- Give yourself permission to start your day with something that sparks joy—and know it’ll create a positive d...
Dec 08, 2020•8 min
As the seasons start to change: It’s the perfect time to create a self-care plan for moments when the winter blues creep in. Grab that journal! Takeaways: 1- You’re not alone if the changing seasons impact your mood or energy. 2- By creating a self-care plan in advance, we make it easier to help ourselves in moments when we feel off. 3- Reflect on what helps you feel soothed, calm, engaged, and capable of coping with difficult emotions to create your self-care plan for the months ahead. --- Mant...
Dec 07, 2020•13 min
It’s easy to be kind to ourselves when things are going well—but honoring your whole self means extending self-compassion through tough times too. Today, take a moment to show love to your whole self with us. Takeaways: 1- Being human means having moments when we mess up or let ourselves down. 2- When we choose to honor ourselves in tough moments: We allow ourselves to be free. 3- Recognize and return to the voice of compassion you always carry within you. --- Mantra: I choose to be on my own si...
Dec 04, 2020•8 min
We thrive on certainty—but you’re more equipped to handle uncertainty than you think. Today, we dive into a meditation practice that helps us cultivate a sense of inner strength and calm from within, no matter what's going on around us. Takeaways: 1- Coping with uncertainty can be hard, but it's something we're always doing as humans. 2- Try focusing on what's going on inside of you, rather than outside. 3- Notice your thoughts and emotions, and label them for yourself so you can better connect ...
Dec 03, 2020•10 min
