There’s magic in the mess

I’ve always been a bit messy on the back-end of things. From a distance my life may appear complete, but take a closer look and you’ll see my closets remain unorganized, there’s always a few unfinished steps from a previous project, and on the inside I never quite feel like I have it together. I’m hard on myself, constantly critiquing my own work, wondering if I’ve done a ‘good enough’ job, and I experience paralyzing fear if I can’t do something perfectly.

Sound familiar?

Life bombards us with so many details that demand our attention and exhaust our energy. From monthly bills to keeping the house clean even the basics of modern living can feel daunting. Occasionally (or often) these tasks can fall by the wayside when something more pressing comes up. Our wellness practice is one that gets cut out of the priority list first, leaving us feeling yet again like we failed ourselves.

Just breathe, honey. You’re not alone.

We simply need a better system.

What if we view our wellness practices as fuel to help us navigate life better:

1. Movement, mindfulness, or yoga practice are non-negotiable fuel for life and helps us do everything else better. First we move, breathe, and connect to nourish ourselves and then we face the world. Find a class that works for you here.

2. Clean the house only when it feels inspiring. Then it becomes a practice of devotion and joy, not a chore.

3. Create a system for monthly tasks and dedicate a day to complete them.

4. Remember to embrace the messiness of life. There are gifts along the path if we forge forward perfectly imperfect. Please remember we may never get it quite right and that’s okay. There are a million right ways to get things done. What’s most important is that we are experiencing life fully as we navigate it and we nourished ourselves along the way.

I’m learning how to embrace my mess and to move forward bravely even if it’s not ‘perfect’. But what’s perfect? And to whom? Notice where your need for perfection came from. Was it a parent-figure? A partner? Someone who was dealing with their own sense of insecurity that they projected on you or you picked up on inherently? Chances are your perfectionism isn’t yours and you have the freedom to choose differently.

Just now I look up from my writing to witness a songbird perched outside my living room window with her eye on a big fat housefly on the inside of the glass struggling to escape. She hops around attentively on a lilac branch awaiting her perfect moment.  Quickly taking flight she awkwardly bonks the window and flits off beyond the yard.  I’ve never felt so seen.  She went all-in for something she wanted, so excited she could taste it, and she flopped.  I stand up to shoo the fly out of the house and trip over a leg of my arm chair.  We are the same, she and I and we both decide to move on with our day.

I guess the point here is sometimes we try, we miss the mark, that’s okay.  Brush yourself off and go on about your day, perfectly imperfect.  There will always be another opportunity to achieve what you want and there’s magic in the mess if you take time to tune-in. Keep moving forward, you’re doing fine.

Visit our main page for a calendar of classes designed to help us navigate life in a better way.

—Jen Evanson, Joule Founder

Where’s the Reset button?

Let’s talk about the power in taking a pause from manufactured life, how nature provides a perfect reset for the human body and psyche, and what we can do to improve our health when nature isn’t immediately accessible.

“A new report published today reveals that exposure to greenspace reduces the risk of type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, premature death, preterm birth, stress, and high blood pressure.

Populations with higher levels of greenspace exposure are also more likely to report good overall health -- according to global data involving more than 290 million people.” —Science Daily

No newsflash here. This may be information we already know, but why is nature so nourishing?

Let’s look at Albert Einstein’s theory that everything in the universe is energy. From the air we breathe to the food we eat, to the sights we take in, everything has a pulse, an individual signature that is expressed outwardly, and can nourish our own energy.

The natural world, meaning any green space, carries a high vibratory tone. What do I mean by that? Well, if everything is energy organized in unique patterns to create physical form, each pattern also emits a vibration (think of molecules vibrating on an atomic level), and each vibration emits a sound. Some we can hear with our human ears, some we cannot. We can see some of these vibratory patterns under a microscope, and some we are able to pick up energetically.

Think…emotions. We can’t see emotions but we can feel them.

Like attracts like and there are a multitude of energetic levels we can experience here on earth. The more time we spend in a particular vibration, the more it affects our own energetic being.

Nature emits an extremely high vibrational set of patterns and tones designed to work symbiotically with every living thing. When we bask in nature it works like a tuning fork on our own energetic blueprint and resets vibrational tones within the human body. Our DNA recognizes these natural vibrations and begins to repair. Our blood pressure lowers, our cells repair damaged tissue, and our overall outlook on life can improve. The more time we spend in a natural, peaceful environment, the more balanced we become.

“Keep close to nature’s heart and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” —John Muir

Conversely, the more frequently we spend time in unnatural environments, the higher discord we experience. This can lead to depression and physical or mental illness. Manufactured environments emit a less organized, lower vibrational tone that can actually make us sick.

So what can we do to keep our bodies natural vibration high when nature isn’t immediately accessible?

• physical movement, taking walks, yoga, light aerobic exercise in a group setting (we have classes for these here)

• mindfulness & meditation (we have classes for these, too)

• breath work

• eat organic, nutrient-rich foods

• spend time around people who have a positive outlook on life (ahem, you can find these people at Joule)

• laugh with someone

• perform an act of service

• reduce screen time and increase time spent in natural light

• sit outside for 10-20 minutes while shouting ‘SERENITY NOW!’ (See? You just laughed with me so tick that one off the list)

• keep a regular sleep schedule

As always, we hope this message serves as a reminder that finding peace can be simple. Remain aligned with your health and happiness and wonderful things will begin to unfold for you. And if you need a hand, we’re here. We’ll help you stay connected to what matters.

If you’d like to explore what Joule has to offer head to our memberships page for current specials and ways to join in on the fun. Or purchase a BOGO 2-class pack to get started now. We’d love to see you in-studio for a class or a workshop!

—Jen Evanson, Joule Founder

A place for you

How common is it to feel nervous in a new setting not knowing where (or if ) we fit in? We live in a world of endless digital platforms, conversations, and interests where connectivity is a common question. ‘Where do I belong? Will I be accepted in this new place? Do I want to share my energy here? Which hat shall I wear to this party? What color and style is it? Do I even like hats?’ We have so many opportunities in front of us and this can feel more than overwhelming when choosing where we’d like to place our time and energy.

Here are three helpful questions to ask ourselves when making this decision:

1. Which qualities must I posses to ‘find’ my people?

2. What type of environment is necessary to create real connection for me?

3. How do I want to feel when I step into a digital or physical space to practice?

We pondered these questions during Joule’s creation and discovered a few secrets we’re thrilled to reveal:

1. Real connection begins inside ourselves and ripples outward.

2. Diversity in an ecosystem helps us all grow.

3. Kindness and appreciation are key qualities to magnetize our connection with others.

4. You cannot make a wrong decision, only a detour…and that’s where we learn the most.

5. We are all human and humans are perfectly imperfect.

As we created this place to gather, practice attention, awareness, and movement we considered how it might make you feel to walk through the front door. Are you warmly greeted? Are you properly informed of where everything is located? Do you feel welcome, guided, seen, and heard? Have we delighted your senses? Do you feel safe here to be yourself?

We’d love to share this experience with you as a house and support system for your continued becoming. If you’re seeking a space that embodies these qualities, welcome. You can begin with a free class, and if you love it consider becoming a member.

As an extension of encouragement we’re offering our Unlimited Monthly Membership at a deeply discounted rate through the end of April 2022 to help you get started in exchange for your committed support of our budding studio. Your membership purchase includes admission to a Guided Meditation + Sound Bath Class for all new members.

Let’s cultivate connection together!

— Jen Evanson, Joule Founder