Happy new year! Welcome to the final cycle of TREE. It’s going to take us about six months to move through it. I’m super happy you’re here with us in the FFOREST. We will continue to operate as we have been the last few months. The main thought Monday to Thursday will come from me. Skyler will supply the music, the Friday TREEcap and chip in with her thoughts. Let’s start with something easy and immediately useful.
I read a book a few years ago that mentioned in passing the benefits of unhunching ones shoulders. I’ve been trying to ever since. I lowered my desk to the right height for me during the pandemic. When I moved to Dursley, I switched to a standing desk where it’s impossible for me to reach my keyboard and hunch. The amount of pain and stress I don’t have in my neck and shoulders is wonderful. One of the morning stretch routines I used to do says, ‘drop those shoulders’, which became one of my mantras for 2023. It’s still something I say to myself a lot, though most of the time now I find my shoulders are already pretty relaxed, so I guess it worked.
There is enough stress and tension in life without you adding more of your own. Do yourself a huge favour:
Drop those shoulders.
—Jeff
It’s not so much my shoulders, but I definitely clench my jaw more than I would like to admit. The relief that comes from unclenching when I realize I’m doing it is so satisfying. Always followed by some deep breaths.
So to add to Jeff’s last bit of advice; Drop those shoulders and take a deep breath.
Grow slowly
Skyler
Then exhale....ahhhhh...
I’m a jaw clencher too! One of my favorite meditations says, “Relax your jaw. Relax your jaw again.” Ahhhh.