The Aquariust
Take Care Challenge
Thank you for taking part in taking care
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This practice is designed to be accessible for anyone, anywhere
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All you need is a pen, paper, a few minutes a day, + a willingness to take care
If you already have a consistent meditation practice, feel free to add 10 min. for each meditation challenge
J A N U A R Y 1
Meditate quietly, eyes closed for 2 minutes
Inspiration: "Meditation is not evasion; it is a serene encounter with reality" - Thich Nhat Hanh
J A N U A R Y 2
Entertain this thought today:
Everything you need is within you, life is about remembering
We have exactly what we need within us
Anytime your mind wanders today, remember + entertain this idea
J A N U A R Y 3
Meditate quietly, eyes closed for 2.5 minutes
Optional thought to repeat to yourself: I am free
J A N U A R Y 4
Notation Day — Be the observer
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Today, observe anytime you think/say something unpleasant about/to yourself + notate it in your phone
Be neutral in you writing “I said ___”
Just notate, don’t reflect, don’t solve, or attach to these thoughts
Just see them + notate them in your notes app or text yourself
Optional thought to repeat throughout the day: I am a neutral observer. I see clearly.
J A N U A R Y 5
Meditate quietly, eyes closed for 3 minutes
Optional thought to repeat to yourself: I live with integrity.
J A N U A R Y 6
Process — revisit January 4th’s Notes + rewrite them into a refreshed idea
Examples: Notated Thought—I hate myself//Refresh Phrase—I have so much to learn about myself
Thought—I am a failure//Refresh—I am working towards accessible goals that bring me joy
Thought: I look like shit//Refresh—I am lucky to have been born into this body, I am grateful for all parts of this living body
Thought—I am unsuccessful//Refresh—I put my energy towards work that allows me to fully express in this lifetime
Inspiration:
“Words are things i’m convinced…Be careful...
They get on the walls,
in the rugs, in your upholstery, in your clothes,
and finally into you.”
-Maya Angelou
J A N U A R Y 7
Meditate quietly, eyes closed for 3.5 Minutes
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Optional thought to repeat to yourself: I am safe
J A N U A R Y 8
Read the short + powerful “The Guesthouse” by Rumi
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Write 1/2-1 page stream of consciousness reflecting on the poem, anything that comes to your mind with no filter
J A N U A R Y 9
Meditate for 4 minutes, repeating the idea “May I be happy, May I be healthy, May I be at peace”
J A N U A R Y 1 0
Listen to the Live Awake Podcast Episode “Life is Kind”
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If the above link is not available to you, simply search "live awake life is kind" in the podcast search bar on your phone
J A N U A R Y 1 1
Meditate for 4 minutes, eyes closed, focusing on someone that you love
Repeat the thought “may ___ be happy, may ___ be healthy, may ___be at peace”
J A N U A R Y 1 2
Before your feet hit the floor in the morning, repeat “thank you” 3x to yourself
Recognize in your mind 3 people that you are grateful for
Recognize in your mind 1 life occurrence that you are grateful for
Repeat “thank you” 3x to yourself
J A N U A R Y 1 3
Meditate for 5 minutes
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Revisit the 3 people you recognized in your gratitude from January 12
Reach out to at least one of them + text/contact them “Thank you for…”
J A N U A R Y 1 4
Meditate for 4 minutes, focusing on someone that you have a difficult/challenging time with
Repeat the thought “may ___be happy, may ___ be healthy, may ___ be at peace”
J A N U A R Y 1 5
Meditate for 5 minutes AM/PM or both
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Optional thought to repeat to yourself: My cup is full
J A N U A R Y 1 6
Meditate for 5 minutes AM
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Wake your house up: slowly/with intention + care, draw the blinds, make the coffee, light the
candle/incense, switch on the lights, as if you are waking up someone that you love
J A N U A R Y 1 7
Language Awareness — be the observer
Without judgement, notice every time you say “I am/my_____” when really you are saying something that you feel, something that is happening to you, etc
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When we speak with ownership (I am/my) our bodies interpret ourselves as the cause/owner/creator of these things. With awareness, entertain the idea of externalizing what is not yours, release responsibility so as to release self-judgement/blame
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Example: I am tired. Rephrase: I feel tired
Example: My anxiety/ my depression Rephrase: This anxiety/this depression
Example: I’m so sad all the time, I’ll never not feel like this Rephrase: I feel sad right now in the present moment, I release the past + I am hopeful for the future
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When we practice externalizing what is not ours, we are not denying these occurrences + things, we are just releasing the ownership/idea of self-cause
J A N U A R Y 1 8
Meditate for 5 Minutes AM/PM or both
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Optional thought to repeat: I am well, I am whole
J A N U A R Y 1 9
Meditate for 6 minutes
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Write a 1 page note to your present self, in the present tense, with the prompt “Right now…”
Write “Dear ____ Right Now, Right now you…Right now they…right now we…” etc
While writing, entertain the idea that what is happening in your life right now is just a moment
J A N U A R Y 2 0
Take 3 Deep Belly Breaths at 3 Times Today
Breathe deeply down into your belly rather than your chest/throat, this ignites the parasympathetic nervous system/rest + digest mode rather than fight/flight/freeze
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Ideas: while you’re waiting for coffee to brew, before you get out of your car, while you are sitting at your desk, before you go to bed, etc.
J A N U A R Y 2 1
Make a 1 Page list with the prompt “What I truly want is”
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Inspiration: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do,with your one wild and precious life?” ― Mary Oliver
J A N U A R Y 2 2
Meditate for 6 minutes, eyes closed AM/PM or both
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Accountability Writing— Write 3 ways that you are accountable for yourself
Example: I am accountable for myself by being selective in who I spend my time with + where I put my energy
I am accountable for myself by paying my rent every month
I am accountable for myself by being clear on my boundaries in relationships
Then, Write 3 ways that you want to be more accountable to yourself, phrased as “I put my energy towards being accountable for my…”
Example: I put my energy towards being accountable for my desire to be in a healthy relationship
I put my energy towards being accountable for the content, movies, books, podcasts that I absorb into my life
I put my energy towards being accountable for allowing myself to fully express in this lifetime
J A N U A R Y 2 3
Meditate for 6 minutes AM/PM or both
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Inspiration: "I can find the right answer if I just take the time to listen" - erica chidi cohen
J A N U A R Y 2 4
Meditate for 7 minutes AM/PM or both
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On your computer or phone, type for 3 minutes any anger/judgement/negative feelings that hold you back, don’t hold back while you’re typing, let these feelings out
At the end of the 3 minutes, delete + release the writing
Take 3 deep belly breaths, focusing your attention on accepting the present moment + welcoming goodness into your life
J A N U A R Y 2 5
Accountability Reflection
Revisit your accountability writing from January 22 + observe on what you wrote
Write 1 step that you can take towards your accountability goals that you wrote on January 12th
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Example: I put my energy towards being accountable for taking one disciplined step every day towards my full expression
J A N U A R Y 2 6
Meditate for 8 Minutes AM/PM or both
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Each time a thought comes, repeat the words “release” + then “ refresh” to yourself silently
J A N U A R Y 2 7
Relaxation Practice: tense + relax your muscles for 10 seconds at a time
Start with your feet, tense for 10 seconds, as tense as they go, then completely let them go for 10 seconds
Move on to your calves, knees, thighs, etc. all the way to your forehead
This will gently remind your body of the boundary between tension + relaxation
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Inspiration:
"and the day came
when the risk to remain a bud
became more painful than the risk it took to blossom"
-Anaïs Nin
J A N U A R Y 2 8
Take 5 Deep Belly Breaths at 3 Times Today
Breathe deeply down into your belly rather than your chest/throat, this ignites the parasympathetic nervous system/rest + digest mode rather than fight/flight/freeze
Ideas: while you’re waiting for coffee to brew, before you get out of your car, while you are sitting at your desk, before you go to bed, etc.
J A N U A R Y 2 9
Meditate for 10 minutes AM/PM or both
J A N U A R Y 3 0
Write 1-2 Pages stream of consciousness, no filter, just write as it comes
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Inspiration:
“I'd finally come to understand what it had been:
a yearning for a way out,
when actually what I had wanted to find was a way in.”
― Cheryl Strayed
J A N U A R Y 3 1
Meditate for 10 minutes AM/PM or both
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Inspiration: I have everything I need within me