Deep breathing exercises are not only a great way to release stress and anxiety, but are also an effective way to recover from being sick, including COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. Join us for a few beginner’s deep breathing exercises today. Written by Stephanie Simpson. Voiced by Elisha Mudly. Takeaways: 1- Deep breathing helps to quiet the mind and lessen feelings of anxiety and stress. 2- Deep breathing can also help restore diaphragm function and increase lung capacity. 3- Belly br...
Apr 07, 2021•10 min
When times get tough, it can help to think about your “resilience qualities”—the qualities that have helped you bounce back and recover from life’s challenges. Join us in identifying your resilience qualities with today’s meditation. Written by Tiana Brawley, MSW. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- Resilience is the capacity to recover from difficulties. Think of it as your “bounce back.” 2- We all have resilience qualities that help us through life’s biggest challenges. 3- By identifying your ...
Apr 06, 2021•7 min
When life becomes overwhelming, returning to simple facts can ground and comfort us. Today we create a truths list to return to in times of turmoil. Grab that journal! Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- When we begin to spiral, we can cut off an escalating sense of panic or powerlessness by reciting facts that we know to be true. 2- By reciting truths, we give ourselves a sense of control and return our attention to the present moment. 3- We can use this list of truths to center us when we’re f...
Apr 05, 2021•12 min
With technology as our main way to connect now, it can be easy to start to feel...off. Insecurity, miscommunication, or feelings of unease are natural. Today, we focus on grounding ourselves and releasing insecurity. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- Zoom calls, Facetime, and other digital methods of communication are wonderful at keeping us connected—but they aren’t the same as in-person communication. 2- When we can’t read others’ physical body language, it is harder to sense how they feel t...
Apr 02, 2021•11 min
Happiness isn’t something you have to wait for—we all deserve it each and every day. Today, we start the new month with a focus on finding your joy, inspired by career coach @ArielLopez__ . Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- We often tell ourselves that we’ll be happy when a particular event happens or we’ve accomplished something—but we deserve happiness every day. 2- Finding opportunities for joy in our daily lives can help us shift our mindset to find happiness regardless of the chapter of o...
Apr 01, 2021•11 min
Though sleep is one form of rest, there are 6 other forms that support your whole being. Today, we end Sleep Awareness Month by exploring ways to create mini moments of rest throughout your day. Written by Stephanie Simpson. Voiced by Elisha Mudly. Takeaways: 1- Sleep is a passive physical form of rest; but there are also active physical forms of rest. 2- There are 6 other forms of rest that support you in a holistic way: Mental, sensory, creative, emotional, social, and spiritual. 3- Scheduling...
Mar 31, 2021•7 min
Allowing yourself to be a beginner can inject a lot of the joy and fun back into new experiences. Today we explore the concept of a “beginner’s mindset” and reflect on how we might incorporate that into our lives. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- We put a lot of emphasis on perfection—which keeps us from being beginners at something new. 2- This discourages us from doing anything that we aren’t already good at—because being a beginner feels “inefficient” at first. 3- By embracing a beginner’s...
Mar 30, 2021•9 min
We’ve learned so much in the past year and are facing another time of transition and change. For our final journaling exercise of March, join us in reflecting on what hope means to you and how you can create space for it in the months ahead. Grab that journal! Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- Hope is the belief that things might change for the better. 2- Hope gives us motivation to act and strive—even in the face of unpredictability or change. 3- We can train our mind to cultivate hope, and i...
Mar 29, 2021•13 min
Change is a natural part of life—including change within ourselves. Today’s meditation, inspired by @alex_elle , will help you remember: It’s OK to outgrow older versions of yourself. Written by Stephanie Simpson. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- Change is a natural part of life. 2- It’s OK to outgrow older versions of yourself. 3- Change provides opportunities for growth and evolution. --- Mantra: I will let myself evolve. --- With the Shine app, end your day with recommended meditations to ...
Mar 26, 2021•8 min
No matter what you’re going through or how you feel about yourself: You are always worthy of kindness and love from others. Today’s meditation is inspired by @nedratawwab and will help you believe that truth. Written by Stephanie Simpson. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- It is your birthright to be loved and respected by others; you do not need to earn that. 2- Boundaries can help you maintain your own own energy and separate from other people’s energy. 3- You are always worthy and deserving ...
Mar 25, 2021•11 min
Trigger warning: Today's episode intro will address the anti-Asian violence that occurred on Tuesday, March 16th. For more on Shine's support of the AAPI community and against anti-AAPI racism, head here . Your body can carry stress—but it can also help you release it too. Today's meditation is a progressive muscle relaxation technique that's research-backed for lowering levels of stress and helping ground ourselves in our bodies. Takeaways: 1- Even on our best days, anxiety can start to get the...
Mar 24, 2021•9 min
You’re still worthy—even on those days when you’re not your most productive, happiest self. Today, we reflect on a reminder from mental health counselor @fleurdelisspeaks and let go of the pressure to meet our “normal” expectations. Takeaways: 1- It's easy to compare our present selves to our past selves. 2- But our lives are constantly in flux, and it doesn't help to put pressure on ourselves. 3- By doing your best each day, you are succeeding. --- Mantra: I am enough. --- With the Shine app, e...
Mar 23, 2021•8 min
If you feel like your group chats have turned to crickets: You’re not alone. Today, we reflect on “repotting” our relationships and finding new ways to connect with the people we care about. Grab that journal! Written by Stephanie Simpson. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- Friendships and community connections are an important part of our health and wellness. 2- “Repotting” is a simple tool to reignite the excitement in your relationships. 3- Being intentional and consistent helps relationship...
Mar 22, 2021•15 min
Today is World Sleep Day! In honor of it: We practice a series of breath exercises and visualizations to help us have a moment of rest. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- Sleep is vital for our long term health and wellness, but can be disrupted by a wide variety of mental, physical, or emotional factors. 2- The more we stress about not falling asleep, the more adrenaline our body releases—making it even harder to fall asleep. 3- Focusing on breath or relaxation exercises can help combat this a...
Mar 19, 2021•9 min
We often forget that we can give the words we need to hear back to ourselves. Today, we practice doing just that to self-soothe. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- Instead of focusing on what we “should” be feeling or thinking, consider what you need to hear. 2- Use precise language to self-soothe and encourage. 3- Writing things down or speaking aloud can help slow and order racing thoughts. --- Mantra: I know what I need to hear. --- With the Shine app, end your day with recommended meditatio...
Mar 18, 2021•8 min
Grounding is a practice that can bring you back to the here and now. Today, we’ll practice a grounding technique called 5-4-3-2-1. Written by Stephanie Simpson. Voiced by Elisha Mudly. Takeaways: 1- We all experience times when our thoughts overwhelm us; it’s natural. 2- Grounding is a powerful practice to bring you back to the present moment. 3- Tapping into your 5 senses is one way to practice grounding. --- Mantra: I am here in the present. --- With the Shine app, end your day with recommende...
Mar 17, 2021•10 min
When your motivation feels tough to come by: Committing to just trying something for 5 minutes can help you move forward. Today, we’ll practice being kind to ourselves and our motivation. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- It’s OK to release some of the pressure you put on your productivity. 2- Commit to trying an activity for just five minutes—and be compassionate with yourself. 3- If after five minutes you don't feel like continuing, let it go. Chances are that starting will help push you tow...
Mar 16, 2021•7 min
If it’s tough to find spontaneous moments of joy or delight right now, you’re not alone. But you can intentionally build those moments into your day. Today, we’ll reflect on how. Grab your journal for today’s episode. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- For many of us, the COVID-19 pandemic might have taken some spontaneity from our lives. 2- There is still fun to be had—we just need to plan it a little more proactively! 3- Use this opportunity to explore what brings you joy, and practice pursui...
Mar 15, 2021•13 min
Our brains love to rate our days as simply “good” or “bad”—often based on our productivity. But our experience of life is more complex and fluid than that. Today, we practice honor our full selves each day. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- Many of us view our days as good or bad, often based on our level of productivity. 2- Life is more than what we accomplish in a day. By releasing a good/bad binary, we can begin to savor all that we are. 3- When we shift our focus towards all the pieces tha...
Mar 12, 2021•10 min
Self-trust is an act of self-care. In today’s meditation, we reflect on when and how we’ve shown up for ourselves in the past, and think about how we can show up for ourselves in the future. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- We build self-trust when we care for our needs and safety. 2- Self-trust means you trust yourself to survive and persevere through challenging situations. 3- You’ve proven that you can show up for yourself in the past. Carry that self-trust moving forward, especially for w...
Mar 11, 2021•11 min
When our minds get caught up in stress or worry, pairing our breaths with mantras can help us get grounded in the present moment again. Today, we’ll practice this together. Written by Stephanie Simpson. Voiced by Elisha Mudly. Takeaways: 1- It’s human if it feels tough to quiet your thoughts and anxieties while meditating. 2- Using an anchor, a type of meditation tool, helps to relax the body and focus the mind. 3- Connecting mantras to your breath creates a powerful anchor. Mantra: As I breathe...
Mar 10, 2021•12 min
Your love is your superpower—and you can give it to yourself just like you give it to others. Today’s meditation encourages us to take our caregiving instinct and apply it to ourselves. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- Caring for others isn’t bad—it demonstrates empathy, a service mindset, and deep commitment to others. 2- When caring for others keeps us from caring for ourselves—or discourages us from developing our identities—that’s when we need self-care the most. 3- Strike a balance by gi...
Mar 09, 2021•10 min
Our routines help us feel grounded—but when they start to feel stale, shaking them up can reinvigorate our days. Today, we reflect on your routines and how they can better serve you. Grab that journal! Written by Tiana Brawley, M.S.W. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- We’ve all had to adjust to a “new normal” in the past year—and that means a shift in our daily routines, habits, and leisure activities. 2- Some of our routines might still be serving us, while other routines and habits might be ...
Mar 08, 2021•13 min
We’re quick to let experiences define us—especially when we make mistakes. Today, we’ll practice seeing our experiences and emotions as data that we can use to empower us. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- When we view our experiences as data points, we can move from a fixed mindset to a flexible mindset. 2- You can make a mistake but that doesn’t mean you’re defined as a mistake. 3- Separating our identity from our emotions can help us become resilient in the face of setbacks and challenges. ...
Mar 05, 2021•9 min
A “third space” is a mental or physical space that you can use to create a transition between work or home life. In today’s meditation, we use a visualization to help us create this psychological “buffer” for ourselves. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- A “third space” is a physical or mental space that we create between our work and home life. 2- Many of us might use our commute as a “third space,” but even if we work from home, we can always build opportunities for processing and decompressi...
Mar 04, 2021•8 min
We often put pressure on ourselves to feel “all better” and find the thing that will “fix” how we’re feeling right away. But: What if we focused instead on just feeling a little bit better instead? Today, we are going to experiment with the Kaizen “1% Better” principle as a way to support our own self care and healing. Written by Stephanie Simpson. Voiced by Elisha Mudly. Takeaways: 1- There is great power in focusing on the small, more manageable shifts you can make in the moment rather than al...
Mar 03, 2021•11 min
When our motivation is missing, it can help to shift our mindset from what we *have* to do to what we *get* to do. Join us in reframing your obligations with today’s meditation. Written by Tiana Brawley, M.S.W. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by a “things to do list,” especially if you have a lot on your plate. 2- You can reframe your tasks and obligations by adopting the attitude of “I get to do this” instead of “I have to do this.” 3- Notice how the things you...
Mar 02, 2021•8 min
This month marks one year of the COVID-19 pandemic—and it’s human if you’re hitting a “pandemic wall.” To help: We’re using our Monday journaling episodes this month to show ourselves compassion, as well as take time to reflect and reset. Grab your journal for today’s episode. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- As we mark one full year in the COVID-19 pandemic: It’s human if you’re feeling a lot of things. 2- Many of us might be hitting a “pandemic wall” at this point—we have endured a hard yea...
Mar 01, 2021•15 min
What do you bring to the world? Who brings light and love to your life? Today’s meditation focuses on being grateful for all that we give and receive. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- It’s easy to recognize the gifts that others bring to the world—but it can be hard to recognize our own gifts. 2- Each of us offers a unique set of talents and perspective to the world around us. 3- Remember that you are precious and worthy of love—from others and yourself. --- Mantra: I am a gift to the world. ...
Feb 26, 2021•10 min
We’re a society of multitaskers—and while it’s sometimes helpful, it’s a stress relief for our minds when we focus on just one thing at a time. Today, we practice quieting our multitasking minds and focusing on the present moment. Voiced by Mel Chanté. Takeaways: 1- Our brains aren’t meant to multitask all the time. 2- Monotasking means we give our full attention to one task at a time—and allow the many thoughts in our minds to settle too. 3- Try giving your full attention to one thing today to ...
Feb 25, 2021•11 min
