Today we are thrilled to share some thoughts from Megan Chase. Megan is passionate about guiding individuals on their healing and growth journeys. She values safety in the therapeutic relationship, creating an environment where clients can freely express themselves without fear of judgment. Megan’s counseling approach centers on empathy, collaboration, and compassion, and she embraces a Health At Every Size (HAES) philosophy that celebrates body diversity and inclusivity. She strongly believes in empowering her clients.
Megan specializes in grief and loss, eating disorders (including all diagnoses and clients struggling with disordered eating and body image concerns), childhood trauma and abuse, traumatic grief, and clients grappling with self-criticism and self-deprecation, helping them shift towards a more self-compassionate perspective.
In today’s society, we get caught up in the busyness of life. It’s easy to be in the non-stop, day-to-day hustle, as our attention is being pulled a million different directions. So often, I forget to take a moment to take a deep breath, or to process my day as it is happening. Also, our society glorifies busyness (i.e. productivity being linked to worthiness), and we are striving towards awards that don’t exist! There are no awards in life for getting the least amount of sleep or for working 60-hour work weeks; yet, this is what we believe is the truth, and it’s hard to break out of that cycle.
So what do we do when we are caught in this cycle? A few ways to create a more mindful and restful way of living are as follows:
- Find ways that work for you to rest. This could be creative rest (i.e. art, engaging in a hobby you enjoy), mental rest (i.e. turning off your phone), or true, restorative rest.
- To increase your mindfulness, take a pause throughout the day, and check in with yourself and your body. How am I feeling? Do I or my body need anything to help me continue with my day?
It may feel strange at first to slow down and be mindful about your needs or to choose rest, but trust me, it’ll be so worth it in the end so that you don’t burn yourself out! I believe we spend a lot of time human doing, but what would it look like for us to be reminded that we are also a human being? Being is a state of existing, and this is what we were born to do! I’ll end this with a beautiful quote I heard that really stuck with me about rest: “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished” – Lao Tzu
Affirmation of the day: I am inherently valuable even when I do nothing but simply exist.
Before you go…The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer is a wonderful resource to learn more about rest and mindfulness in a busy world.
You’ve got this, I believe in you!
Megan Chase
We hope you found Megan’s insights on cultivating rest and mindfulness helpful. If her message resonated with you, this could be the perfect time to take meaningful steps toward your healing and peace. To initiate your work with Megan, please feel free to call our office at 615.510.3797 or click here to learn more.
