Nicole Lovald

I’ve been feeling sad and overwhelmed with life lately, and I can’t quite pinpoint why. Tasks that once seemed easy somehow feel harder, and my motivation to do them has shifted. Knowing that changing seasons can affect my mood and mental health, I’ve been prescribing myself some of the self-care practices I know can help me move through these cycles with a little more acceptance and ease. One of those practices is moving my body to release stress and stimulate energy. Yesterday, when I had a...

This morning as I was strolling down the beach in Manzanillo Bay, Mexico, I saw a surfer riding the waves out into the distance. As I stood there and watched her, I saw beauty, grace and strength. As she rode the wave in and started to get closer to the shore I realized I actually knew her. She is a local yogi and Thai Bodyworker who I’ve known and respected for years. As she came to shore we connected with morning greetings and she asked what time it was. She was due to be teaching yoga in...

Have you ever noticed yourself playing the same story over and over in your head? Have you found yourself trying to defend, make sense of, or justify your feelings? Do you get stuck processing the same feedback loop ad nauseam? You definitely are not alone. I have recently noticed this within myself, as well as with my clients. Intellectualizing our emotions is a defense mechanism that keeps us from having to feel the discomfort of our feelings. That’s not to say that the feedback loops...