Hello there, beautiful souls
Welcome to my weekly Sunday newsletter—your gentle pause to read, reflect, and perhaps carry some insights slowly into your own life.
This week’s theme: “Each step, no matter how small, is part of the dance”
Let’s step into this week’s D-A-N-C-E together:
D – Doing
Let’s take a leap from saying into doing.
What’s one thing you’ve been saying “I’ll do…” but haven’t yet taken that first step? This week, make it happen. It doesn’t have to be the big project you’ve been dreaming of for years—it could be as simple as sending that email, going for that run, decluttering your wardrobe, or reading ten pages at night.
Start by taking the very first microstep of that action: click “compose’ on your mailbox, put on your running socks, place the book beside your bed and open the first page. Once you begin, momentum flows easily and before you know it, it is actually DONE.
Every time you follow through on something you said you’d do, you are actually deepening self-trust. And the more you trust yourself, the easier you can cultivate new healthy habits, increase mental resilience and build a stronger relationship with yourself.
A – Awareness
Cognitive science reminds us that thinking doesn’t just happen in the skull. It extends into the tools we use, the people we rely on, and the spaces we inhabit.
This week, I invite you to deepen your awareness through journaling. One of the most powerful practices I use in my daily life is gratitude journaling. At the end of the day, I rehearse my day and write down three things I’m grateful for. Over time, this shifted my awareness—now I notice gratitude not just in reflection, but in the very moment it happens.
Perhaps you can try this too. Write - or even just merely name three things you’re grateful for this week, and describe how it made you feel and what it brought into your life. If you feel comfortable enough, you may even share them with a friend or a loved one. This in turn creates a space for sharing and engagement. Gratitude multiplies when it’s witnessed.
N – Nurture
This week, let’s nurture the good bacteria in our gut! Did you know that eating whole foods rich in fibre increases short-chain fatty acids (SFCA) in the gut? These SFCA are produced when our gut microbiomes ferments fibre and they help to help regulate our immune system, improve digestion, balance weight and even uplifts mood!
My gentle recommendation: aim for 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Just imagine your gut bacteria dancing with joy and cheering delightfully as you nourish them with every bite.
Tips- If you can’t get 5 servings, start with 1 first! (The microbiomes would still rejoice- because 1 is better than none)
C – Celebrate
What is the one thing you did from the past week that you’re proud of?
It doesn’t need to be a milestone—it can be as simple as preparing a nourishing meal, or showing up for a loved one, or simply honoring your own needs by choosing to rest during the weekend instead of going out.
And if nothing specific comes to mind, celebrate the fact that you are here, now— breathing in this moment and living this human experience. What a wonder that is in itself- truly.
I know it’s not always easy. I too sometimes struggle to feel proud of myself. Lately, I’ve started giving myself a hug—literally wrapping my arms around myself —to honour my efforts, however small. You can try this too.
E – Embrace
If your week wasn’t all light and joy, that’s okay too. Embrace the fullness of life—the ebb and flow, the easy and the heavy. If there was a particularly difficult emotion you are processing this week, perhaps naming the emotion can soften its hold. This practice, called affect labelling creates a little more mental space that enables us to work through these emotions and respond more effectively to various situations.
Instead of suppressing them, try to practise verbalising it “ I feel…“
Remember: we’re all walking this collective human journey, with its ups and downs. The dance of life isn’t about avoiding the lows but about learning how to feel them with grace.
That’s your D-A-N-C-E for this week. May your week be filled with gentle rhythms, quiet victories, and the reminder that you are always moving forward.
Until next Sunday, keep dancing slowly.
Much Love, Dr Sharolyn
A quote Im thinking about
“Only the disciplined ones in life are free. If you are undisciplined, you are a slave to your moods and your passions” Eliud Kiphcoge