Slow & cozy co-existing with "fast-paced"
Slow & cozy co-existing with "fast-paced"
🌿 Rooted Rhythms Newsletter: Issue 3
Despite my best efforts to plan a slow winter filled with seasonal activities like making winter simmer pots, baking sourdough bread, and reading by the fireplace with the weekly snowboarding expedition with the boys … life had other plans.
Big plans in particular for my 9 year old.
And while I had all the intentions in the world to talk to you about slowing down in winter … I would miss a big lesson if I didn’t share about what it means to cultivate a slow, steady, nourished nervous system while moving through a full work and family life. After all, the entire purpose of this publication is to talk about learning to gauge our energy capacity and move within it. I hope my stories will ignite a tangent for you to explore.
You see, he joined the First Lego League Challenge in September 2023. Together with his team, they’ve been hard at work. Their story begins last year. Their coaches, let’s call them Coach R. and Coach S. just led the previous year’s team all the way to the world championships where the team won.
The sad part is that all but one kiddo aged out. The best part is that they all get to mentor the brand new team with the hopes that in three to four years, they too can become the next little champions.
Through their awesomeness, embodiment of core values, and unwavering support of their coaches, mentors and parents, they won first place in their regional championships in December 🥳. What!? We were over the moon happy for them!
This qualified them to move on and compete at the provincial tournament this past weekend. We were all so incredibly proud of them! As parents, we were in awe to have an experience where we could watch them grow in real-time as they compete alongside the best teams in Ontario. It was more than a giant accomplishment and all we wanted was for them to have some fun!
Well, they shocked everyone and placed first in Ontario 🏆. We are told it’s unheard of for a first-year team to win … yet these little miracles somehow did it! Now they move to compete in the First Lego League World Competition.
Their robot design + programming is fabulous. What I believe set them apart was their innovation project. They designed a working prototype of an all-inclusive piano. Stay tuned for more on this, because their story about how they created this is jaw-dropping inspiring!
The way they worked together taught me a lot about community. About what it means to be an activist. About what it means to be inclusive.
Most of all, it was the final nudge I needed to get out of the spiritual cocoon and go live in the real-world. To choose to be alive. To commit to making this world a better place than I found it not by hiding away in the woods, but by engaging with our broken systems and planting seeds for how they can be better. I will share more about this as the lessons are truly profound.
Here are the little champions!
Now we are getting ready to compete in the World Championships, les Robot Franco-Zarts! A community team from the Association des francophones de la région de York.
Many of you reading this have been with me since the days I used to teach baby feeding and picky eating in my blog Nourished Little Munchkins. Today, your littles might be just old enough to join their own First Lego League Challenge. The kiddos are exposed to FLL’s core values along with skills you never knew they could learn so fast. I highly recommend the experience.
🌀 Contemplations & Life Lessons
As we take a moment to rest and prepare for the fundraising efforts to finance the team’s trip, I am left contemplating how my definition of slow has evolved in these past two weeks.
Life has been anything but slow moving … a direct contrast with the gorgeous winter we’ve been having. Almost demanding to slow down as I watch giant snowflakes gently float down.
What I’ve come to realize is that “slow and cozy” does exist in the physical realm. But my definition was that this frequency only existed in short moments when I magically found a pocket of time to read a book while sipping some hot chocolate. I desperately wanted to create more time for that!
As I hold the frequency of winter at the forefront of my exploration of what it means for my energy levels, a new understanding emerged.
Slow and cozy is more about my internal attitude to the task rather than about the task itself.
It’s about re-defining my relationship to my stress response. It’s cultivating the ability to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.
I did not realize it was the simple things that allowed me to work on regulating my nervous system.
Read more before bed. Go to sleep an extra 30 minutes. Sleep in an extra 30 minutes. Take conscious 5 to 15 minute breaks. Have a winter simmer pot going and allow my senses to be delighted. Or learn to doodle.
I deeply believe each seasonal rhythm and each element that lives within us has something to share that’s at the forefront of what you’re walking with. The throughline. The “thing” you are experiencing. The pattern that just won’t go away. No matter how many times you’ve worked with these earth rhythm archetypes, they always lovingly deepen your connection to yourself.
You only have to be present and be willing to listen.
If you’ve been listening to your inner rhythm, what nuance has it been sharing with you?
💛 loves
Loving this amazon bullet journal. I got it for my 7 year old. Oddly enough, he’s really into making lists and I thought what a great way to make writing fun!
We prepped a supply box from Ikea to hold our supplies and got ready to do a mix of art journaling!
Winter has traditionally been a time to learn new things and craft. Thankfully today we don’t have to make all our clothes from scratch! So I’m embracing the crafts that make themselves known and whisper “come on and play with me”!
📣 icymi (in case you missed it)
A few updates and reminders
🌷🌼🌾🌲 Find your Earth Rhythm Archetype by taking the Quiz.
🌟 1:1 Energy Coaching spots are available here.
❄️ Winter Immersion Retreat is ready for you.
You can purchase it separately or upgrade to a paid experience to receive it as part of your subscription.
🌿 RootedWeek
This week, may you enjoy immersing yourself in your inner winter with beautiful imagery for your phone or desktop.
Enjoy!
Until next time … stay rooted and be true to your rhythm.
xox,
Ana-Maria
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