Find new balance this season with advice for caring for your mind and body from these Best of Durham winners
By Taylor Motley | Photography at Yoga Off East by Anna Routh Barzin
The promise of warmer weather, longer days and the glow of the sun create a perfect opportunity to reflect and find a new balance in life. We’ve turned to some of Durham’s most trusted wellness professionals – winners from this year’s Best of Durham poll – for their advice on caring for your bodies and minds this season. Take a deep breath, and let’s dive in:
Start Fresh
We often try to reflect on and make changes in our lives at the start of a new year or a new week, but the coming of a new season can be just as powerful a time for personal growth. “It is easy to reflect on where that season left us during its last iteration and the growth, or transitions, we may have experienced in the interim, for better or for worse,” says Elizabeth Christy, a clinical social worker and therapist at Duke Integrative Medicine Center.
“A reset is the opportunity to come back to center, to regulate your body and mind, and to provide space for a deep listening of your soul,” says Kim Tupper, co-owner of Yoga Off East.
How you approach this seasonal shift is deeply personal. It might mean carving out more time for yourself, reevaluating your routine or reaching out for support. For Savannah Hopps, owner of Neighborhood Barre Durham, a reset means “looking at where you are at that moment, that day, that week, etc., and just deciding you want something different in order to live more fully.”
Taking time to simply slow down, observe your being and find present moment awareness will help move you into a more inward state, which can lead to a sense of peace, clarity and spaciousness.
– Kim Tupper, co-owner, Yoga Off East
Step Outside
Summer offers an ideal chance to explore Durham’s many parks and outdoor spaces. Bennett Kirkpatrick, the creator of Insight Counseling Center, says research shows that spending time in nature can reduce stress and improve cognitive function. Exposure to sunlight also helps restore natural sleep cycles.
“Connecting to nature reminds us of the many cycles of life – the many opportunities we have to start and restart again and again,” says Radical Healing co-founder David Young Oh.
Time outdoors can help clear your mind, whether you’re exploring the Ellerbee Creek Trail or wandering through Sarah P. Duke Gardens. “Go outside for a stroll, turn your phone to silent, and allow your mind to wander, reflect and let nature heal you,” Bennett says. “Your whole being will thank you!”
My favorite mantra is ‘as able’ – to reinforce my ability to follow through with tasks and aspirations as I feel equal to them rather than feeling propelled by my anxiety to complete them.
– Elizabeth Christy, clinical social worker and therapist, Duke Integrative Medicine Center
Move Your Body
Movement is essential to keeping our bodies healthy and our minds happy, and Durham’s yoga, Pilates and barre studios provide ample opportunities for indoor movement. “Through the practice of yoga, body, mind and breath unite to create space physically, emotionally and mentally,” Kim says. “Taking time to simply slow down, observe your being and find present moment awareness will help move you into a more inward state, which can lead to a sense of peace, clarity and spaciousness.”
These workouts come with challenges, but the rewards are worth it. “At the end of the sets, when you’re in the stretches and the endorphins are flowing, you have a second to really be proud of yourself and the work you just put in,” Savannah says.
Movement can also be communal. “When we move and flow together, connecting with our own strength and with our place inside of our community, change happens,” says Deborah Matthews, the founder and co-owner of InsideOut Body Therapies.
I think a reset can come at any time where it feels like you need to realign your habits, your emotions and/or your lifestyle to how you want to live your life.
– Savannah Hopps, owner, Neighborhood Barre Durham
Build A Healthy Mindset
Caring for your mental health is equally as important as maintaining your physical health. Bennett says therapy can help people move beyond simply “functioning fine” to truly thriving with joy.
Therapy can be transformative and a great resource for people seeking to better their mental health, but it isn’t the only way to strengthen emotional well-being. “Finding environments that make you feel at ease, considering what activities or relationships help you to feel nourished and seen; these are all deeply meaningful aspects of supporting our individual well- being and fostering further growth,” Elizabeth says.
Whatever it is, make it your priority to set aside a small moment for yourself to do nothing related to being ‘productive,’ but rather being restorative.
– Bennett Kirkpatrick, creator, Insight Counseling Center
Find Balance
“Moving from burnout to balance requires protecting your time at all costs,” Bennett says. “Routine is vital for our minds to not be on high alert.” Establishing healthy habits like setting aside 20 minutes to go on a daily walk or sticking to a consistent bedtime can create space away from everyday stress.
Routines should also reflect what brings you joy – and what drains you. “I’d suggest evaluating what you can let go of,” says Kelly Smedley, owner and founder of Waypoint Counseling & Maternal Wellness. “It’s OK to say ‘no’ to activities, to set boundaries for yourself at work, or with family or friends.”
Elizabeth says it’s important to consider that balance is a moving target and means different things for different people on different days. “By recognizing that balance may look different to you day to day, it allows you to reassess what is most meaningful to you and prioritize those aspects of your day accordingly,” she says.
A reset can be something as simple as taking five minutes a day to do yoga, deep breathing or do guided relaxation, or it could mean getting away for a night to meet friends for dinner.
– Kelly Smedley, founder and owner, Waypoint Counseling & Maternal Wellness
Embrace Joy
Take time to reconnect with what lights you up this summer, whether it’s a weekend getaway to the beach or going out to dinner with friends. “The best way to move out of burnout is through joy and connection,” David says. “Only you will know what brings you joy and what helps you feel connected.”
Finding joy and laughter plays a huge role in resetting yourself – it’s essential. “Joy should be on your to-do list,” says Marvice Marcus, director of training and internship at Radical Healing. “Cultivating joy, however small, is an integral component of wellness.”
