🌳 Dear Life Stages Community,

As February comes to an end, we are inching closer to spring☀️!

As we reflect on this month, we want to keep in mind that although Valentine’s is a day when it might seem like everyone celebrates with their boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife, it is a month to celebrate and remember what love means.

It is important to remind ourselves that Valentine’s Day and February 💕 is a celebration of all forms of love; whether it is self-love, love for a friend, love for a family member, or love for a partner. We all celebrated a little differently. Some people had their galentines, a date night, or a night a home enjoying their own company. Celebrating all these types of relationships is important for self growth! In this newsletter, we’ve included a few ways you to develop your relationships.

Below you can find some key foundations to self-love and videos to do yoga by yourself or with a partner! Don’t forget to check out some of the exciting new events coming up in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco, ☁️ where you will benefit from a variety of 2-mile hikes and mindfulness activities– a time to be with yourself and nature. 

We also have a very exciting opportunity to join our founder, Zulma Y. Terrones, in Latvia this summer for Gathering for Adventure Therapy in Europe. Join her and other outdoor adventure therapy professionals in learning and practicing outdoor health! From workshops, poster presentations, seminars, and more– this is a great time to expand your knowledge of outdoor health in a supportive, expert environment!

Love is in the air

FOUNDATIONS OF SELF LOVE

Mental Health – Focus on managing your stress and mental health by learning healthy coping skills.

Self- Acceptance – Accept to yourself that you do not have to be perfect in order to be worthy of love.

Boundaries – Cultivate healthy communication and boundaries in your relationships.

Self- Care – Make the time to meet your needs as best as you can. A great way is to spend time on your hobbies and interests.

Inner-Voice- Change the way you talk to and about yourself by working on the voice in your head.

Self- Discovery  – Learn your likes and develop goals, hobbies, and interests that make you happy. 

Source: https://www.selfloverainbow.com/the-foundations-of-self-love…

Practice your positive affirmations!

Yoga with a loved one or yourself and the benefits 

Yoga is a great way to find peace and practice mindfulness. This activity allows you to center yourself when you are stressed or when you need a way to reconnect with your body. Yoga is also a fun physical and mental practice to do with a  partner or a best friend because you get to build your trust and communication while also deepening your yoga experience and reducing stress.  https://www.yogabasics.com/connect/yoga-blog/partner-yoga/

Message from the writer

Hi everyone, this is Carolina, one of the Life Stages interns! Today I wanted to share some wisdom passed down to me from one of my greatest friends, Maggie. She always reminded me that “growth is not linear” Her words allowed me to remember that we must never be discouraged during our work in progress stage. As we exit this month, keep working on your goals and be thankful for each step because it is a part of your story. I hope that the activities and events shown in this newsletter help you achieve your goals. I am grateful to be able to support your journey and don’t forget to check out more resources on our Inner Sanctum website!