Monica Parks: 5 Steps To Create Abundance
Tucked away in one of those unassuming single-story white wooden Presidio buildings is SenSpa, one of SF’s hidden gems. Recently, Monica Parks, a Lead Massage Therapist at SenSpa, gave a talk on how to incorporate spa-like treatments and therapies into our daily lives to maintain health and wellness between visits through a feeling of abundance. Monica looks at individuals’ lives from a holistic perspective and assists them in making simple, easy shifts, cominbing mindfulness and action. Here are her top 5 tips:
1. Define Your Own Self
We sometimes go through life passively accepting labels others give us, ie. the pretty girl, the smart guy, the funny friend… Instead, ask yourself: “What is it that I like to think about me?” This freedom to take charge of our inner environment leads to abundance - when we know who we want to be, we can be who we want to be.
2. Shift out of Funks
Identify small actions which bolster our state of mind, and then creatively work them into our lives. Ie. Break up exercise into 10-minute segments if you don’t have an hour and a half to devote to the gym, give yourself permission to pamper yourself with a bubble bath or night in with your favorite book and a cozy blanket. And next time you find yourself in a funk (since we all find ourselves in this state at one time or another), ask yourself, “Do I want to stay here, or shift out of this state?” and then practice a small action that makes you feel nurtured.
3. Identify What is Important to You
Write down 20 things you’d do next month if you had unlimited possibilities, talent, resources. Then reduce it to 10 items, then 5. Now that you have a list of your priorities, use it to spot themes that emerge and create shifts when you find yourself off-track. Recognizing our own needs and making them a priority creates a feeling of abundance.
4. Get Rid of the Time Wasters
Contemplating what is important to us, as above, can help us focus on what’s truly important. When we elevate these things, it’s easier to eliminate time wasters in our lives, the things that don’t feed our spirit or worse, create a drain. This can include people with whom we associate (keeping good company is important!) or activities that don’t uplift. We are impacted by the people and situations around us. Becoming conscious and setting a limit to how much we’re willing to engage with a ‘time-waster’ can help us then move on to something we’d like to commit to developing for ourselves.
5. Develop a Gratitude Practice
Create a gratitude jar or journal. When we have a small moment of beauty or connection - ie. connecting with another in the course of our day, or a moment in nature - make a note of it. One idea I love is to start a gratitude jar each year, dropping in one new experience every day, and reading them on the eve of the new year. When we find our happiness, our abundance, it creates a bridge of connection to other people.
And finally, remember that everyone has their own version of abundance. Dare to be different and follow your own path to happiness. Find more info about SenSpa here.
