“You only have what you give. It’s by spending yourself that you become rich.” ~ Isabel Allende Hello!
I’m hoping last week’s 5-step PAUSE has been useful. 💝 The more I practice it, the more readily I can drop into a place that is quieter and calmer. My favorite step is the last one: Enjoy. When I get there, my insides seem to smile. I’m reminded to linger with what’s nourishing me. Ahhhhhh, here’s to more savoring! Why not bask in delight a little longer? 🤩 Lately, I’ve been wondering how to help ourselves when something really aggravating pops up. You know . . . when something, or someone, triggers a strong internal response? 😤 None of us are immune to the chemical stew, the cortisol bath, that can make certain moments hard to navigate with grace. 🤬 When I’m feeling super activated, I may need a different tool: The 90-second rule. Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, a Harvard-trained neuroanatomist and stroke survivor, discovered something remarkable. When we experience an emotional trigger, the neurochemical response lasts about 90 seconds. After that, what remains is often the story we are telling ourselves about what happened. “The initial wave is involuntary. But what happens after that 90-second window is, to a significant degree, within your influence.” The 90 Seconds that Could Save Your Relationship ~ Figs O’Sullivan Wow! 🤯 If I can ride the wave for 90 seconds . . . then I start to have choice? So, that argument I had last month didn’t need to take over my afternoon? That rattling piece of news didn’t have to steal my sleep? Ninety seconds is pretty quick. Seems manageable, right? 🤷🏻♀️ And yet, we can all think of moments where enduring 90 seconds feels impossible. 😖 How do we help ourselves through the wave? • Observe it without acting. • Notice what it feels like. (Hot? Tight? Cold? Heart rate up?) • Set a timer. • Breathe through it. Why do the feelings stick around after the 90 seconds? Because we replay the event. We build stories around it. And when we defend, deny, excuse, or deflect, we jump right back into the chemical bath and start all over again. 😔 So, what I do during those 90 seconds can shift a lot about how I move forward. Rather than trying to control all the BIG feelings, I’m going to try and let them move on through. That small lens shift may pack some real power. Let’s start there. With love, light, and 90 seconds worth of peace, every time, m
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“Grateful living is important in the world because in our constant pursuit of more and better we can easily lose sight of the riches that lay right in front of us and within us.” ~ Guri Meta Hi friends!
A short note today: an invitation. An invitation to PAUSE. Not just now, while you’re reading this. But whenever you need to. Why? Because pausing is the first step to shifting. Creating a meaningful shift in your day, in your energy, in the way things move forward? It can be so simple! Try these 5 easy steps. Any time. Every time. 1: P - Pause | Step away from doing 2: A - Arrive | Come fully into the moment 3: U - Unwind | Let your breath loosen the grip of busyness 4: S - Settle | Rest your awareness in your heart, your belly, your body 5: E - Enjoy | Savor the simple goodness of being here. A meaningful pause doesn't require a yoga mat, a meditation cushion, or an hour of free time. Just a few intentional moments. Pause. Arrive. Unwind. Settle. Enjoy. You may be surprised by how much can shift in less than a minute. Sometimes that's all it takes to remember you're already home. ✨ And why not linger a little longer with whatever is nourishing you? ♥️ Thank you Rhoda Thurston Lewis for the stunning hummingbird photo! Even the hummingbird allows itself a PAUSE. Love and light to all, m P.S. Summer Season 🍓 Saugautck Yacht Club | Saturday | 8:30 - 9:30 A | EVERY SATURDAY in JUNE! Satya | Monday | 8:30 - 9:30 A Full Moon Yoga Circle 🌕 | Monday, June 29 | 6:00 - 7:00 P Create + Restore | Sunday, July 12 | 10:30 A - 1:30 P 
“It is this way with wonder: it takes a bit of patience, and it takes putting yourself in the right place at the right time. It requires that we be curious enough to forgo our small distractions in order to find the world.” ~ Aimee Nezhukumatathil Hello!
It’s great being here with you today. Thank you. Relationships that are formed through yoga, or that contain an element of yoga in them? Are special. Once you’ve shared breath, and movement, and connection to presence together? There’s an added component that is rich, and tender, and sweet. I’m reminded of this every time I step onto the deck at Lakeshore Resort. Guests make their way down the steps. I greet them with a hello and a smile. Maybe we exchange a few moments of pleasantries about where they are visiting from. Where they ate dinner last night. Where I might recommend they go tonight. It’s all very nice. And then, we practice together. The shift is profound. The opportunity to pause. To connect with breath. To feel into our bodies and our beings. Sharing that with one another? It opens up a lot. I’m super grateful for every opportunity I have to weave another thread of support into my own yoga tapestry. Sunday’s Full Moon Circle had extra power in it. We’re building something really special there. And by “we” I don’t mean me and Teresa. I mean “WE” . . . everyone who is attending. If you’re looking for opportunities to drop in, please join me somewhere this summer. Personally? I can’t wait for Create + Restore on Sunday, July 12. Talk about a power-packed creative immersion! And an awesome way to reset your nervous system. There are a few spots left; I hope you can join us. If you missed today’s quotation, maybe take another look. Reading it prompted me to order Aimee’s newest collection of poetry: Night Owl. Here’s being curious enough to forgo the small distractions, m P.S. Summer Season 💜 Saugautck Yacht Club | Saturday morning | 8:30 - 9:30 A Satya | Monday morning | 8:30 - 9:30 A Full Moon Yoga Circle 🍓 | Monday, June 29 | 6:00 - 7:00 P Create + Restore | Sunday, July 12 | 10:30 A - 1:30 P |
AuthorMichelle Shaw: Archives
July 2026
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