Take a breath. Breathe in life into your diaphragm. Allow it to move any stale, stagnant energy in your body. Imagining your breath transforming into love and light, as you exhale slowly.

Breath in again. Notice any shifts, either macro or micro, in your body or mind. Exhale. Repeat as needed. Has your breath or body shifted in anyway?

 How often do you slow down in a day or a week and enjoy something as simple as your breath?

Do you feel worthy of this moment, for you, as you are?

Twitches, aches, pains and illness are typically the only time most of us listen to our bodies. Our bodies are alive, always sending and receiving information that often goes unnoticed. If you connect to your breath, you will slowly be introduced or reintroduced to your body. Give yourself time to be present and hear listen to your body. This is a practice and a gift, if you do the work.

My girlfriend, the yogi, from Canada is currently in town. We were set to meet for brunch at our spot, the very restaurant where we once stat beside each other as strangers and sparked a conversation that evolved into friendship. As I drove to the restaurant, I thought about how we met and I was in aw and grateful for how friendship manifested.

One of my other friends is a part owner of the restaurant, where we met. As I drove, I also thought about him, and how we met. Also in a unique way, as strangers at place, I decided to go to at the last minute. I may not have met him had I not listened to my intuition, which means I would have met my girlfriend. This thought continued to unraveled and got me to think of all the people I may not have met had I not slowed down. Had I not stopped to listen to my body, my breath, my silent voice or my intuition.

What does the breath have to do with the body? I once asked myself as a new voice student. The answer is everything. Connecting to my body and voice through my mindfulness practice and breath work brought me to realize the need to take big risks.

My life would not exist as it is, had I not slowed down. I would not have started this blog, spoke to at-risk teens, aligned with my higher purpose, met so many spiritual mentors and teachers or met so many beautiful people that are more aligned with me if I maintained my old status quo.

I slowed down, did the work, listened to my body and continue to listen to my body. It lead me here. As brunch unfolded my girlfriend mentioned going to Universal Studios and invited me to join last minute and I said yes. She was excited, I told her, I make a living being on a strict schedule and keeping people on schedule. On my weekends, I always leave space for spontaneity.

Today’s Mindful Monday is on spontaneity. How often are you spontaneous? Are you spontaneous our of peer pressure or out of your hearts desire? How often do you do, what you want for you and you alone?  On this Monday and every day going forward play with the idea of spontaneity. Discover places in your life that may need it or places in your life where you may want to pull back from it.

Please share with me your experience of connecting to your breath or about an adventure that occurred in your life as a result of being a little more spontaneous.

Love – Stephanie XO