Body, Beauty, Bakin’ & Shakin’

These days, I’m finding myself benefitting even more from using my daily morning – Body, Beauty, Bakin’ and Shakin’- saying which helps me structure my day. For me, it’s simple, easy to remember and has a playfulness that allows life to be enjoyable while at the same time lending flexibility of meaning. It has enough structure to rope me into taking care of a decent range and amount of daily tasks that I actually want to perform, such as exercising, while freeing me from the concept of tasks being tedious. I’ll explain a little further. 

Body refers to anything related to taking care of the body from exercising, to eating well, to keeping a clean home, to changing the air conditioner filter, to massaging my feet with my luscious Silken Foot Balm. 

Beauty could mean anything from grooming, to dressing for success, to giving myself a facial. It can mean choosing to wear earrings, when I have no occasion for them or buying another gorgeous, one of a kind, hand stitched Bernadette Korver pouch for my iPhone so I can talk to my friends while doing things around the house. 

Bakin’ refers to “bringing home the bacon” (an idiom meaning making money – working, in other words), but, by extension, taking care of myself, doing what I do to the best of my ability and acknowledging myself for it. It can also refer to baking (since I spell it with a “k”) and so, by extension, planning meals, grocery shopping, cooking, eating and nourishing myself (and Dave). It can mean doing anything that feeds me from growing herbs and vegetables, to setting my intention for the day with my product Ritual 1, to feeding my creativity. It can refer to the incubation of ideas and the laying down of the foundation for your future self or online business or listening to a TED Talk or taking a class toward those ends.

Shakin’ is about enjoying yourself, your life and the people and things around you, shaking things up and stepping out of your comfort zone and literally, dancing or shaking off emotions that don’t serve you. We are community based animals and we need each other to stay happy and healthy minded, so Shakin’ can also refer to sharing a burden with your life partner or reaching out to an elderly neighbor. 

So, the four words can be used creatively in any way you see appropriate. Please feel free to borrow my list shown below, and share it with anyone you think might enjoy it.

On the “Body” part of my list:
Acupuncture to boost my immune system 
Eat nutrient dense foods 
Drink 1 liter of water per day
Tai Chi, Inline Skating, or Yoga daily 
Clean the air filters monthly

On the “Beauty” part of my list:
Take care of my hair
Always earrings 
Choose a “uniform” for making music
Monthly facials
Use sunblock and/or visor daily 

On the “Bakin” part of my list:
Post my new Self Massage Videos
Monthly newsletters
Create a new product
Journal/Write one new song per week 
File a pile 

“Shakin” part of my list:
Morning coffee on the porch with Dave
Gardening 
Music practice sessions with Dave
Weekly Artists Dates
Cook a new dish for Dave

As you can see the list can be fun and drilled down as much as you want, but, I find if I keep it light with my – Body, Beauty, Bakin’ and Shakin’- umbrella saying, my subconscious fills in the details. The challenge, once you start, is to put them into effect. Here’s where making appointments comes in.

I find that making appointments with people is one of the most effective ways of getting things done that you don’t want to do. So, if you want to declutter, schedule a Skype session with a professional organizer. I have started attending Art Talks on Wednesdays at 7pm with Professor Val Franco (https://profvalfranco.wordpress.com) as a way of keeping my weekly Artist Dates with myself. Think on what’s important and energizing to you and make a list of professionals, friends, acquaintances and family who can assist and start calling them to set up “get things done” appointments. Be sure to pace yourself, getting enough rest is a part of taking care of ourselves and refrain from beating yourself up if you don’t always do what you had wanted to. Stay in integrity by acknowledging it and resolving to address it again at a later date. After all, tomorrow’s another day.

In support of your highest, healthiest self,

xoSherrin