Self-Care Intentions

A delicious collection of fresh herbal teas from Yunnan; a gift from my good friend Maria, here in Chengdu! 

I've been more mindful of my food intake the past few months, and how each meal affects my body.  The TCM herbs I am taking and other changes I am making increase my awareness and my body's sensitivity to my diet of food and thoughts.  I'd like to blame my sleeplessness on the dread of Monday due to feeling despondent about work, but I know part of it was too much chocolate and eating too late.  Now it is Monday, and I start the week --well, with a more positive spin--the day, exhausted from lack of sleep.

On the bright side, I came up with another short story/chapter idea for my book.  I'll hint at this much, the potential title is "Key Lime PIe"! 

Some of my Intentions for 2019:

• Leave enough time in the morning for yoga practice, including asana, prana, and meditation
• Take a hot shower or bath at night, before a round of prana and short meditation
• Start running again, and build up to this on my new treadmill by walking 20-30 mins. each day
• Study putonghua (Mandarin)
• Begin an IB certification course
• Eat mindfully and slowly
• Get 8-9 hours of sleep each night
• Save more money
• Get a bicycle and start riding to work
• Write daily

Mondays can be hard, so a hot bath at night or a massage and cupping will be nourishing.
Tuesdays there is yoga class at the Tibetan space, Charu; join my friend M. for the class
Wednesday is music night at the Tibetan bar; start going every now again with M.
Thursday is a long day at school, so this would be a good day to walk home and stop at the Buddhist temple, coffee shop, or get a massage if I didn't get one Monday.

Hand-dyed journal and cloth bags and tea from Yunnan.   This special dyeing technique is particular to the Bai people of Yunnan province.   They are one of a multitude of ethnic groups here in China.  Apparently, the younger generation of Bais are using different colors than the traditional ones.  Gifts from Maria, thank you!