HELLO, HELLO!
HELLO WORLD!
Time has flown and before I share all the amazing experiences and HUGE wins, I've decided to pause and ask, HOW ARE YOU?
Since writing last, I was still very much in healing mode from having jaw surgery. As much as I tried to be still, I discovered obstacles around stillness. If you know me, being still seems to occur when I'm sleeping or zoned out watching the waves on the beach, and even then, stillness is questionable.
Being still isn't about having ADHD or an excess of energy. For me, being still means feeling safe and comfortable in my body. Since writing you last, I chose to move A LOT, intentionally doing and going. From flying across the U.S. to attend meetings, speaking at conferences, and CHECK OFF events and experiences that had been high up on my professional and personal list, I can honestly share stillness was the farthest from my the list.
Fascinatingly, a brilliant game of tug-of-war between my brain, body, and soul began early September and the ultimate winner was chaos. By the time October arrived, I was exhausted.
AH-HA Moment: I caused the internal war and now, I was AND AM responsible for ending the game.
October is a month that's known for many reminders, loads of awareness, and opportunities for an abundant of uncomfortable conversations. As I continue to emphasize the profound need for ALL to understand and practice the power of Holistic Brain Health, I am also fully aware that many are unsure what I mean.
Let's start with internal dialogues!
🗣️ What you choose to say internally directly reflects how you show up in the world.
**Masking your reality can only last so long!
🧠 Our brain is wired to keep us safe. If staying busy "feels safe," then our brain will do anything to keep us busy!
**Staying busy invites us to ignore what's occurring internally!
🛑 Literally stopping and the act of being still may feel like learning how to ride a bike for the first time!
**Being still feels uncomfortable for me, and I keep practicing!
My mom snapped the photo of me above roughly two weeks after surgery. All I wanted to do was workout, sweat, move my body the way I was "used to." Instead, we took a slow walk into a favorite store, tried on shoes, and . . . played!
Healing, like stillness, is a process. From surgery to uncomfortable conversations, NO ONE KNOWS how YOU feel better than you! Today is 107 days post surgery. Though the swelling and bruising no longer exist, the invisible healing is very much present. Thus, circling back to my essential question . . . HOW ARE YOU?
Instead of leaping into the week with hustle and grind, I truly hope you'll choose to be still for a few minutes. Allow yourself to breathe and be exactly where your feet are. For me, Holistic Brain Health can only occur when I slow down and choose ME! Today, CHOOSE YOU! Hit reply and share what YOU ARE DOING FOR YOU!
Love,
Dana💛
PS Your child will thank YOU!
Do a good DEED, and pass along my email!
WHAT CLIENTS ARE SAYING ABOUT DEED®!
Hello! Just watched your session, wow! If my kids had access to teachers like you, maybe they would have stayed in school. I would love to know more about you and what you do. I was wondering if you have resources for parents of autistic kids. Self and emotional awareness is such a challenge for my little man that also has severe ADHD in addition to ASD, and we feel like we could help him so much more. Much of the early intervention we did was ABA style and none of it really worked. He is such a bright, beautiful boy, full of life. But talking about himself and his feelings is so hard. Look forward to exploring your site.
~YA
I just wanted to reach out and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your incredible talk at The Liberated Child Homeschooling Summit! I kept yelling “YES!” at my screen, I felt like everything you said resonated with me so much. As a woman in my thirties just starting to unpack some childhood trauma and realizing how my conditioned responses shape my life, I’m hoping to break that cycle with my six year old son. We’re planning on homeschooling him this year for first grade and I am really looking forward to being more aware about incorporating social emotional learning in our daily lives. He is a very sensitive child (just like his mama) and I worry that I don’t always have the tools to respond to him the right way, so I’m going to hop on your website and learn as much as I can. Thank you again so much, the work you have done with all of your students is just absolutely inspiring!
~MM