As I turn 50, I’ve decided to try new things: scary things, silly things, “weird” things, unusual things… here are a few of them and my experiences!

Reiki: My massage therapist is also a Reiki Master and introduced my to energy work in some of my massage sessions. It actually felt really familiar – similar to what I experienced in the NICU while practicing “Kangaroo Care” (skin to skin) holding of our tiny 30 weekers. Their tiny 3 pound bodies would visibly relax against me and the benefits to preemie is well documented in medicine. It also had great bonding benefits for me as a mom since my babies were “off limits” to me a lot of the time. I had to ask permission and get assistance to hold them, so that precious time skin to skin helped me fell more like a mom. (Thank you bonding hormones like oxytocin!)

I ended up taking a Level One Reiki weekend workshop. It was part classroom type learning, part meditation, part journaling on a therapeutic level and two attunements. There was a lot of tears when I worked on some of my limiting beliefs about myself, but more joy in recording the abundance of things that I feel gratitude about in my life.

The experience was exhausting and draining, but also energizing and uplifting. I will continue to let this be a part of my life and add it to my tool belt of coping modicums.

Would I recommend: YES

As I turn 50, I’ve decided to try new things: scary things, silly things, “weird” things, unusual things… here are a few of them and my experiences!

Acupuncture: As I prepared for surgery last year, I wanted to be mentally prepared, so I visited an acupuncturist. I found him through a neighbor who used his services after chemotherapy. His name is Austin and he runs his practice out of the back of his and his wife’s coffee shop: a funky, eclectic shop called Starfish and Coffee.

Way more hippie than hipster, he’s the kind of soul you expect to find in San Francisco or on a New Mexico commune. He’s got a really laid back vibe, but once he starts talking, you know he knows his stuff! He’s very intuitive, and very professional. I felt different after every session, and since high blood pressure and anxiety were things I wanted to tackle, I felt it was beneficial!

Would I recommend: YES