<description>&lt;p&gt;‘Tis the season of joy and magic and festive good cheer. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;‘Tis also the season of…&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;…rushing to finish all the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of 2025 (or lamenting how you fell short)…&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;…shopping for all the gifts for all the folks, including that ONE THING your kid desperately wants that is sold out EVERYWHERE…&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;…attending all the work parties, and friend parties, and school recitals…&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;…traveling… or hosting…or dealing with disappointing the in-laws…yet again.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Basically, ‘tis the season of stress, which is why I want to help you &lt;strong&gt;PLAN&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;PLAN: A Mindfulness-Based Self Care Practice&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hectic holidays aside, &lt;strong&gt;PLAN&lt;/strong&gt; is one of the main way that I practice self care these days. It’s how I ensure my physical and mental needs are met, no matter how busy my life gets.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the past, when life got busy, self care was the first thing I let slide.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;My schedule is packed, I have no time for lunch today.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I have so much to do, I’ll catch up on sleep on the weekend.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I’m rushing everywhere, there’s no time to meditate!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Yet, when life is busy and hectic, that’s exactly when we need self care the most. If we’re not caring for our bodies, minds, and spirits, we feel exhausted, stressed, and start putting our physical and mental health at risk. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As the saying goes, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hence the need for a…&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;PLAN: Pause, Look, Acknowledge, Nurture&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;(see what I did there?)&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;P&lt;/strong&gt;ause. Literally stop what you’re doing and take a moment to check with yourself.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;L&lt;/strong&gt;ook (inward and outward). Notice your current mental and physical state, including your current circumstances.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* Inwardly —&gt; What thoughts are running through your mind? What emotions do you notice within you? What physical sensations do you feel in your body?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* &lt;em&gt;My thoughts are muddy and unfocused. My brain is fried. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* &lt;em&gt;I’m feeling ‘meh’ emotionally. Not good or bad, just ‘meh.’ &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* &lt;em&gt;Physically, I notice a headache and some shoulder tension.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* Outwardly —&gt; What is happening in your world? What are your current (or recent past/future) circumstances?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* &lt;em&gt;I had a long work day with a lot of Zooms that required a lot of energy from me. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* &lt;em&gt;Up next, I have to figure out dinner and the rest of the evening with the family.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A&lt;/strong&gt;cknowledge. Witness and validate yourself. Acknowledge what is happening for you in this moment, and where you are mentally, emotionally, and physically.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I’m feeling tired and drained after a long work day. Makes sense, given all the energy I had to put on on Zoom. I have a headache and my shoulders feel tense, also makes sense. Now, I have to figure out dinner and the rest of the evening with my family, which requires more mental and physical energy. I acknowledge all that’s happening within me and around me. I see myself with compassion this moment.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;N&lt;/strong&gt;urture. Take action (big or small) to care for yourself. What can you do to nurture yourself in this moment? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;I’m going to finish my child’s snack of cheese and crackers to get some fuel into my body and take some ibuprofen for the headache and shoulder tension.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nurturing doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming. It can be as simple as taking a few deep breaths or making yourself a cup of tea to enjoy while you continue your day.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That’s it. &lt;strong&gt;PLAN&lt;/strong&gt;. Short, simple, and ready to go any time you need it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Real Magic of PLAN&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Of course, engaging in an intentional act of self care (&lt;strong&gt;nurture&lt;/strong&gt;) is the end goal of &lt;strong&gt;PLAN&lt;/strong&gt;. Noticing your needs and taking action to meet them is how you build a powerful, lasting habit of self care.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;However, the true magic of this exercise &lt;em&gt;starts&lt;/em&gt; when we &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;acknowledge&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; ourselves and our circumstances. If you watch the full video version of this post, you’ll notice that I started to feel better while I was acknowledging myself. Truly, it felt like a great relief to just notice and validate everything I was feeling and experiencing in that moment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It’s like when I have something weighing on my mind, and just sharing it with a trusted loved one magically seems to cut the weight in half. That’s the power of self-acknowledgment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Self-acknowledgment is when YOU show up as your own trusted loved one.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It’s a powerful act of self care, self love, and self compassion. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Now THAT’s a gift worth giving yourself this holiday season.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Give &lt;strong&gt;PLAN&lt;/strong&gt; a try for yourself and let me know what you think!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;If you found this article helpful or inspiring, I’d be honored if you’d leave a comment, share it with a pal, buy me a coffee, or consider becoming a paid subscriber.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NEW! Community Zooms for Paid-Subscribers! 💻&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I’m now offering exclusive Zoom sessions for paid subscribers. Support my on-going work and enjoy “office hours” with yours truly! Drop into a Zoom session to experience guided mindfulness and supportive, community-based mindset coaching.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you’re curious about mindset coaching, but saving for your next headshot session, this is a great way to get affordable access in a supportive, community environment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I’m a professional actor, a mindfulness and mindset coach, and I’m ready to help you thrive in your actor life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🎭 I’ve been a professional actress for almost 20 years. I’ve survived 3 industry shut downs - 2 strikes and 1 global pandemic. I’ve worked in TV, film, commercials, and produced my own award-winning web series.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🧠 I’ve been a life coach for 5 years, specializing in mindfulness and neurolinguistic programming and helping people become more aware and focused on making positive changes in their lives.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;💖 I blend lived experience with powerful, proven coaching tools.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🎢 Let’s get you feeling resilient, empowered, focused, playful, relaxed, confident, and riding the acting career roller coaster without throwing up! 🤗 &lt;/p&gt; &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Get full access to The Aligned Actor at &lt;a href="https://thealignedactor.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4"&gt;thealignedactor.substack.com/subscribe&lt;/a&gt;</description>

The Aligned Actor

Amy Schloerb

A Mindful PLAN for the Hectic Holiday Season

DEC 4, 202517 MIN
The Aligned Actor

A Mindful PLAN for the Hectic Holiday Season

DEC 4, 202517 MIN

Description

<p>‘Tis the season of joy and magic and festive good cheer. </p><p>‘Tis also the season of…</p><p>…rushing to finish all the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of 2025 (or lamenting how you fell short)…</p><p>…shopping for all the gifts for all the folks, including that ONE THING your kid desperately wants that is sold out EVERYWHERE…</p><p>…attending all the work parties, and friend parties, and school recitals…</p><p>…traveling… or hosting…or dealing with disappointing the in-laws…yet again.</p><p>Basically, ‘tis the season of stress, which is why I want to help you <strong>PLAN</strong>.</p><p>PLAN: A Mindfulness-Based Self Care Practice</p><p>Hectic holidays aside, <strong>PLAN</strong> is one of the main way that I practice self care these days. It’s how I ensure my physical and mental needs are met, no matter how busy my life gets.</p><p>In the past, when life got busy, self care was the first thing I let slide.</p><p><em>My schedule is packed, I have no time for lunch today.</em></p><p><em>I have so much to do, I’ll catch up on sleep on the weekend.</em></p><p><em>I’m rushing everywhere, there’s no time to meditate!</em></p><p>Yet, when life is busy and hectic, that’s exactly when we need self care the most. If we’re not caring for our bodies, minds, and spirits, we feel exhausted, stressed, and start putting our physical and mental health at risk. </p><p>As the saying goes, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”</p><p>Hence the need for a…</p><p>PLAN: Pause, Look, Acknowledge, Nurture</p><p><em>(see what I did there?)</em></p><p><strong>P</strong>ause. Literally stop what you’re doing and take a moment to check with yourself.</p><p><strong>L</strong>ook (inward and outward). Notice your current mental and physical state, including your current circumstances.</p><p>* Inwardly —> What thoughts are running through your mind? What emotions do you notice within you? What physical sensations do you feel in your body?</p><p>* <em>My thoughts are muddy and unfocused. My brain is fried. </em></p><p>* <em>I’m feeling ‘meh’ emotionally. Not good or bad, just ‘meh.’ </em></p><p>* <em>Physically, I notice a headache and some shoulder tension.</em></p><p>* Outwardly —> What is happening in your world? What are your current (or recent past/future) circumstances?</p><p>* <em>I had a long work day with a lot of Zooms that required a lot of energy from me. </em></p><p>* <em>Up next, I have to figure out dinner and the rest of the evening with the family.</em></p><p><strong>A</strong>cknowledge. Witness and validate yourself. Acknowledge what is happening for you in this moment, and where you are mentally, emotionally, and physically.</p><p><em>I’m feeling tired and drained after a long work day. Makes sense, given all the energy I had to put on on Zoom. I have a headache and my shoulders feel tense, also makes sense. Now, I have to figure out dinner and the rest of the evening with my family, which requires more mental and physical energy. I acknowledge all that’s happening within me and around me. I see myself with compassion this moment.</em></p><p><strong>N</strong>urture. Take action (big or small) to care for yourself. What can you do to nurture yourself in this moment? </p><p><em>I’m going to finish my child’s snack of cheese and crackers to get some fuel into my body and take some ibuprofen for the headache and shoulder tension.</em></p><p>Nurturing doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming. It can be as simple as taking a few deep breaths or making yourself a cup of tea to enjoy while you continue your day.</p><p>That’s it. <strong>PLAN</strong>. Short, simple, and ready to go any time you need it.</p><p>The Real Magic of PLAN</p><p>Of course, engaging in an intentional act of self care (<strong>nurture</strong>) is the end goal of <strong>PLAN</strong>. Noticing your needs and taking action to meet them is how you build a powerful, lasting habit of self care.</p><p>However, the true magic of this exercise <em>starts</em> when we <strong><em>acknowledge</em></strong> ourselves and our circumstances. If you watch the full video version of this post, you’ll notice that I started to feel better while I was acknowledging myself. Truly, it felt like a great relief to just notice and validate everything I was feeling and experiencing in that moment.</p><p>It’s like when I have something weighing on my mind, and just sharing it with a trusted loved one magically seems to cut the weight in half. That’s the power of self-acknowledgment.</p><p><p><strong><em>Self-acknowledgment is when YOU show up as your own trusted loved one.</em></strong></p></p><p>It’s a powerful act of self care, self love, and self compassion. </p><p>Now THAT’s a gift worth giving yourself this holiday season.</p><p>Give <strong>PLAN</strong> a try for yourself and let me know what you think!</p><p><em>If you found this article helpful or inspiring, I’d be honored if you’d leave a comment, share it with a pal, buy me a coffee, or consider becoming a paid subscriber.</em></p><p><strong>NEW! Community Zooms for Paid-Subscribers! 💻</strong></p><p>I’m now offering exclusive Zoom sessions for paid subscribers. Support my on-going work and enjoy “office hours” with yours truly! Drop into a Zoom session to experience guided mindfulness and supportive, community-based mindset coaching.</p><p>If you’re curious about mindset coaching, but saving for your next headshot session, this is a great way to get affordable access in a supportive, community environment.</p><p>I’m a professional actor, a mindfulness and mindset coach, and I’m ready to help you thrive in your actor life.</p><p>🎭 I’ve been a professional actress for almost 20 years. I’ve survived 3 industry shut downs - 2 strikes and 1 global pandemic. I’ve worked in TV, film, commercials, and produced my own award-winning web series.</p><p>🧠 I’ve been a life coach for 5 years, specializing in mindfulness and neurolinguistic programming and helping people become more aware and focused on making positive changes in their lives.</p><p>💖 I blend lived experience with powerful, proven coaching tools.</p><p>🎢 Let’s get you feeling resilient, empowered, focused, playful, relaxed, confident, and riding the acting career roller coaster without throwing up! 🤗 </p> <br/><br/>Get full access to The Aligned Actor at <a href="https://thealignedactor.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">thealignedactor.substack.com/subscribe</a>