Daily Rituals

The first step in living hi-vibe is to focus on yourself and the energy that you’re putting out into the world. By applying and becoming consistent with daily self-care rituals and being in alignment with what feels true to you, you’ll start to notice how much better you feel. And when you feel better, your experiences become better.

Ayurvedic health practices

The rituals are based on the wisdom of Ayurvedic health, an ancient practice of preventative medicine and a way of living in the flow that humans have used for more than 5,000 years. Many of these practices are being validated by modern science and are gaining popularity because they do create a more joyful and abundant life. I also integrate modern science practices in areas like neuroplasticity, to help achieve optimal health. Most importantly, I’ve tapped into my intuition and listen to what my body is telling me to help guide my choices. Health is individual. And what works for one person, may not work for another, but starting with practices that are hi-vibe is a good start.

Aligning the mind, body and spirit

Daily rituals help to align your mind, body and spirit with universal energies. The key to transforming old patterns is to start with positive changes.

I’m sharing weekly upgrades/challenges on my podcast and @be_ahoom instagram to help you (and me!) step outside of our comfort zones. This helps to release fears and limiting beliefs so we can tap into unlimited possibilities and live life to the fullest.

Taking on too much too soon tends to cause more stress than it relieves, so it’s important to be realistic about how much you should start with. A good strategy might be to add as many “little things” as you feel truly inspired to do, and then to take on only 3–5 more ‘enhancements’. If you tend to be overly ambitious, start with just 1-3 substantial new additions to your day

M O R N I N G

Wake up, 5 min Meditation

I leave my blinds up and windows open so I can hear the birds outside as a natural alarm clock. Also, the light is important in helping to reset my circadian rhythm. Ideally, it’s best to wake up around 6 a.m., or approximately the time of the sunrise. This is still a challenge for me that I’m working on.

When you wake up naturally by the light in tune with your circadian rhythms. These are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. Your internal clock coordinates your circadian rhythms. This cycle is so important that the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young for “discoveries that explain how plants, animals, and humans adapt their biological rhythms so that they are synchronized with the Earth’s revolutions.”

Warn water & lemon

Drinking a glass of warm water with freshly squeezed lemon juice from half a lemon, signals the physiology to eliminate toxins by stimulating the gastro-colic reflex.

Movement

I’m not a morning person so I prefer gentle exercises in the mornings like yoga and/or walking my dog. It’s ideal to have at least 15-30 min. exercise in the morning to get your energy moving.

Dry brushing

I dry brush before getting into the shower. Dry brushing unclogs your pores and exfoliates. It also helps detoxify your skin by increasing blood circulation and promoting lymph flow/drainage.

Shower

I like creating an experience in the shower. I use uplifting essential oils in the shower to help wake me up. Bergamot or eucalyptus are my favourites to invigorate and stimulate the senses. This not only helps refresh and re-energize the body, but also has a calming, soothing effect on the mind. I use 5 -6 drops in the shower and get in as the cold water runs into warm as thermotherapy.

Thermotherapy is amazing and acts directly on your mood. The cold releases energy and endorphins (well-being hormones). It’s effective against depression and anxiety. and the thermal shock of cold water makes your whole body more reactive, improves your endurance and there’s nothing else like the cold to wake you up!

I also put on my favourite singing bowl meditation or do om chanting while in the shower. Singing in the shower is also awesome…but sometimes, I don’t even want to hear myself singing!

Hi -Five in the mirror and positive affirmations while dressing

I use Mel Robbins (American lawyer, television host, author, and motivational speaker) technique of looking in the mirror and high 5ing myself while repeating a positive mantra/powerful belief everyday when I do the high 5. 

A mantra is traditionally a chant that is repeated and is is very effective in creating new habits within the subconscious mind. 

The impact of the high 5 is rooted in science. The high 5 is programmed in your brain as a positive gesture, so it helps to rewire how you think about yourself. High fiving yourself is a neurobic exercise: a routine activity (such as looking at yourself in the mirror) paired with something unexpected that involves your senses (like giving yourself a high 5) elicits an emotion (like celebrating).

Eat breakfast

Eat breakfast with awareness, but only if you’re hungry. Also, remember to eat according to your hunger level.

I’m Vata-Pitta dosha (Ayurvedic health) and I have (depending on the season and how I’m feeling) my dosa specific tea. Any decafe tea is good to raise your vibe.

Move into work or activity

Perform morning work and activity. (day job).

L U N C H & D I N N E R

Incorporate herbs from my garden

I eat a meal that works with my dosha. Not always, but I strive for this. When I eat clean, I notice how much better I feel. And feeling is all about my vibe!

Practice mindfulness while eating

I listen to the subtleties in my body during and after my meal. I notice how the food looks (various colours), smells, tastes, how different textures feel and overall, how the meal made me feel (satiated, full, uncomfortable, energized, sleepy, etc). This is getting to know my body.

Walk after lunch & dinner

I go for a 5-15 minute or hour walk to aid digestion. My dog Chérie loves it too!

B E D T I M E

Shower

For this shower, I use calming essential oils in the shower like lavender, ylang ylang. that are calming but also uplifting or tree derived oils lie arborvitae that ground me are my favourites. I put 5 -6 drops in the shower while the water is warming up. It creates a bit of a steam shower that helps to cleanse and helps with breathing. While in the shower,I use this time to reflect on my day, which can bring up some of the negative emotions that I’ve experienced. If this is the case, I’ll do a mental visualization to release any negative experiences that I’ve had. I imagine all the negative energy washing off of me and transmuting and being cleansed into something positive.

Foot massage

After a full day of walking around (I normally achieve over 10K steps on my Fitbit) I use a moisturizing oil that is calming and helps with circulation like peppermint.

5-30 min Meditation

I love listening to Tibetan singing bowl music or even OM chanting. Sometimes actually chanting helpful too, especially because you can feel the sound reverberate through your body. The sound vibration regulates blood pressure, the heart rate, brain waves and adrenalin levels to create an uplifted and joyous feeling.

The practice of using sound or vibration during the meditation is known as Primordial Sound Meditation (PSM) is especially helpful before bed because it helps you enter deeper levels of awareness so then you’ll feel more peaceful levels in your mind.

Bedtime

Practicing gratitude

I take a couple of minutes each night to reflect and write down my ‘golden list’ of 10 things I’m grateful for and often these are the little things I notice in every day life.

From a mindful perspective, journaling works because it slowly changes the way we perceive situations by adjusting what we focus on.