April Diaries 📔
a reflection on April
It’s officially been a month since I’ve been back from Dubai, and the settling back into my Canadian reality was slow but easier than last time. I say this because last year I was a disaster, felt like I lost a piece of me, and was scrambling to find her again. The time I spent in Dubai was exactly what I needed to get my head back screwed on straight, visualizing my future, nurturing my body and mind, so when I got back, I could continue with what I started. So with that lets reflect on April, and how it got me back on my feet.
April Diaries:
Slow movement saved the day
April was built on slow movement. This was met with an intention that benefited me mentally and physically because I felt myself shifting away from being in the gym. As much as the gym yields results, a good 30-minute session from the comfort of my own home feels soothing and has a huge impact, the same way the gym does. I used a stacking method with this as well, based on the choice of movement of the day, but the intent was solely around my nervous system, creating calmness and steadiness within my body for me to shift energy to carry out my day. A lot of my 30 min of movement consisted of 30 minutes- 45 minutes Yin Yoga, to 30 minutes of Yoga Conditioning incorporating lighter weights, and every Tuesday, a 30min Kettlebell session. I’d also fit in one run a week for additional cardio. Right now, this is working for me in an exceptional way to explore the body until I’m ready to pick it up again. I’ve been using Peloton to keep me up with my 30 min a day sessions. In reality, though my movement sessions are 30 minutes, I’ll stack them together to create a 60-minute session on some days. I’m learning that different chapters of my life should come with shifts in other aspects of my life, so it all fits together. I’m not in a burnout phase; I haven’t felt that in a long time, but I’m in a space of honoring my body and creating new ways to move instead of always slamming the bar. In response, my body tells me what's right or not; if it needs more or not, and from there, we adjust. Building attunement with your body creates a relationship with yourself that’s hard to break.
Cia Wellness Nature Walk Club is back
Creating this club 2 years ago was one of the best decisions that I made to step out of my comfort zone and host a free hiking and trail walk club for people in the GTA. This purely started out with me yearning to go on more hikes, but never having anyone to go with except Musse (he is enough lol), until I went on my first solo hike. I realized it wasn’t that scary, and now I love my time in nature solo, but I also realized there are people out there who wish they had someone to hike with, and so the Nature Walk Club made its first post on TikTok, went viral, and now I have over 300 people in our Facebook group. Each walk is different. I hand-pick them, do my research, pick the dates, and anyone free is welcome to join.
Saunas and Castor oil packs
It’s the season for detoxing and supporting the liver, where it is needed, not only through food and herbs, but through synergistic, therapeutic detoxification and relaxation practices. I started this later in the month, but it has made a huge difference in my sleep, how my body regulates itself, and how my liver breaks down. I was unfortunately diagnosed with a fatty liver mid-April, which to me was wild, but with that comes aching pain on my right side on my back, with the feeling of someone stabbing me constantly and throbbing non-stop. Though I was pretty confused as to how this happened, since I no longer drink alcohol or smoke weed, the only thing I could think of was stress, and there was a very stressful moment in April where my body happened to break down, feeling like I couldn’t breathe due to the pain I was feeling around my ribs. So I started stacking in sauna sessions every night for 30 mins and sleeping with a castor oil pack that has been helping a lot. One thing about me is that I really don’t play with my health, and I am super grateful to have the knowledge that I have to proceed with supporting my body the way it needs and also cracking down on things I may be missing.
Creating Herbal Teas
I’ve always been fascinated with herbs. The first time going on a nature walk, where we identified herbs in the forest, opened my mind to understanding how nature tells a story. I’ve been drawn to herbalism and learning the importance of each herb, what they do for the body, and how to make teas, tinctures, oils, and so many other things. I spend so much time watching videos on tea combinations and reading books. I also have a few books at home and am looking for more. In April, I’ve been playing around with a few different tea combos and getting friends and family to try them for their feedback. I mean, who knows, maybe a tea company comes down the line in the future, but at the moment, just having fun, creating, sharing, and exploring.
xo.Alicia 🌺