The Renewal Lab

The Renewal Lab Movement-based holistic coaching for mind-body renewal.Movement becomes medicine Move.Heal.Transform
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Yesterday’s task was gathering data on our Likes and Dislikes to see what actually fuels our nervous system versus what ...
05/01/2026

Yesterday’s task was gathering data on our Likes and Dislikes to see what actually fuels our nervous system versus what drains it. My Likes are my fuel: nature, calm, intentional movement, and the thrill of a new challenge. I thrive on adventure, curiosity, and play, if there is laughter, music, dancing, and sunshine, I am in my element! I’ve also realized how much I value reading, the joy of constant learning, and a simple bowl of air popped popcorn is my weakness. On the flip side, my Dislikes are the drains: strong pungent smells, snakes, and fast food. Used to be cold…While I’m learning to tolerate the cold through plunges, a major drain remains excessive screen time and social media distractions, it’s the opposite of the things I love. I’m also setting boundaries against Rigid Mindsets, that loop of negativity and unwillingness to compromise.
So, what’s next? We turn this data into Dating Options. If you love popcorn and reading, your date is a cozy, phone-free night in with a book. If you love nature, try a phone-free hike for some optic flow. I’m living this right now on a Walk-and-Read Date. It’s a daily practice that combines my love for movement and learning while saying No to digital noise. Now it’s your turn, look at your list, pick one Like and one Dislike, and schedule an activity this weekend that honors both. Let’s learn to love ourselves well.

BoundarySetting ConstantLearner WellnessJourney

I honestly can’t remember how many years it’s been since I went on a traditional date, But while the world focuses on fi...
04/30/2026

I honestly can’t remember how many years it’s been since I went on a traditional date, But while the world focuses on finding the one, who has even thought about dating themselves? I came across some fascinating research today regarding the biological and mental health benefits of self-dating. It sounds a bit awkward at first, right? But the science suggests that many of us have lived in our own bodies for years without actually knowing the person inside. When we intentionally date ourselves, we aren’t just killing time, we are performing a somatic reset on our nervous systems. By removing the pressure of external expectations, whether from kids, work, or social circles, we allow our bodies to shift into a state of internal observation. Research shows that exploring your own preferences can strengthen neuroplasticity, helping you build a more resilient sense of self, while allowing you to tune into how your body actually feels when it isn’t performing for someone else.
I’m leaning into this dating myself journey, even if it feels a little unpolished. I want to spend the next few days truly discovering my own likes and dislikes, not as a mom, a professional, or a student, but just as me. I’ve personally been loving the power of boundaries lately; I’ve never really had them before, and as I’ve grown into this new transformed person, it truly is everything! Let’s sit in this together and learn to love ourselves well. I’m leaving you with a challenge: grab a notebook and start your own list of Likes and Dislikes….such as…What is a flavor or scent that is purely for your pleasure? What is a dislike you’ve been tolerating for years out of habit? Let’s start the date.





BoundarySetting MinnesotaWellness

Today was one of those days that leaves the soul feeling full, insightful sessions, deep connections with many friends, ...
04/30/2026

Today was one of those days that leaves the soul feeling full, insightful sessions, deep connections with many friends, and a tour of a beautiful space that holds so much promise for future opportunities. But as much as I value the doing, it’s the soaking it all in that allows the experience to truly land. I found myself decompressing on a moonlit walk tonight before heading into my nightly workout. For the last seven years, this late-night window has been my session the dedicated time I reclaim once the non-stop running of the day finally settles and the kids are tucked in. While we often hear that late training isn’t ideal for our circadian clock, there is a profound science to the moon that we often overlook. Moonlight acts as a cooling, parasympathetic dimmer switch, helping the nervous system transition from the heat of the day’s hustle into a state of somatic integration. Connecting with these circalunar rhythms helps align our internal tides, turning a late-night sweat into a restorative reset.
I’m expanding in the comments on why I’ve stuck with this late-night rhythm for 7 years and how I make it work for my nervous system despite the rules of biology! ⬇️
IntegrativeHealth MomLifeBalance MovementIsMedicine

Yesterday, the word Protection was loud, a whisper that became a shout. It stayed with me into this morning. After the s...
04/29/2026

Yesterday, the word Protection was loud, a whisper that became a shout. It stayed with me into this morning. After the school car drop off, as I pulled in and reached for my water bottle, out came a necklace that had been tucked away in the cup holder, my son’s Saint Christopher medal.
Protect Us.
Saint Christopher is the patron saint of travelers. And isn’t that what we are? Traveling through the landscape of our own healing, navigating the unlearning of old identities, and moving toward a version of ourselves that is finally Enough.
Often, we think protection means closing off. We think a protected heart is a locked heart. But today taught me something different. Protection isn’t a wall; it’s a Vibration. When we allow the Lord to protect our hearts, He doesn’t just keep the bad out. He gives us the discernment to let the Raw, Genuine, and Profound in.
I spent my afternoon in the sunshine, connecting with a soul-sister over a Mediterranean lunch. I felt the ease of being spoiled by a friend who sees my worth. And then, I leaned into a conversation that felt... different. It was a connection built on honesty over performance, and true, raw vulnerability.
The message today is clear, You are safe to be seen. When you stand in your Enoughness, you don’t have to carry your own shield. The Lord handles the protection so you can handle the connection. When you stop over-functioning to keep yourself safe, you finally have the space to feel a genuine click with another human soul.

Are you building walls, or are you building your frequency? When we trust that we are protected, we stop managing people and start meeting them.
Tell me below…Where in your life are you being asked to drop the shield and trust the journey? 👇
SomaticHealing IntegratedWellness FaithAndHealing

Last night, a deep dive conversation after my post on Acceptance took us to the very edge of the human experience, and i...
04/23/2026

Last night, a deep dive conversation after my post on Acceptance took us to the very edge of the human experience, and it left a profound mark on me. To the friend who sparked this realization, thank you. I had to share 🤍
We talk about the stages of grief, Denial, Anger, Bargaining, like they are clear steps to climb. But we rarely honor the vast, shallow, and seemingly endless space in between them.
The Wait.
And the heaviest wait of all is not for an apology or a life change, it is the wait to see someone you loved so dearly, who has been taken, again.
There is a profound unfairness in a loss that requires you to hold your love, but have nowhere physical to direct it. In this Wait, the silence is deafening. Your nervous system wants to scream. It screams in confusion, in agony, and in a primal rejection of this new reality. The gap can feel like it’s going to swallow you.
But as the lyrics from Andrew Ripp’s In Good Hands have been reminding me, there is another way to inhabit this gap. We can fill the void not with noise, but with the quiet strength of being held.
We are in good hands, especially in this darkest season of waiting. The realization that all our seasons, the past, the future, and this painful present, are in sovereign keeping is the only thing that can settle the panic. This isn’t just about getting through, it’s about finding a place to rest within the unknown, knowing that the final reunion is ordered.
I’m taking this perspective and this stillness to the trail tomorrow. Let’s keep talking, people. My heart is open, and I am here for these deep dives. Connection is the heartbeat of this journey. I’m sharing some tools in the comments to below to help regulate in the wait 👇. NervousSystemHealth WaitToReunite FaithOverFear SovereignHands TheUltimateWait HeldInHope

04/22/2026

Acceptance can be hard to walk into.
It’s vulnerable. It’s the raw act of acknowledging what is, rather than what we wish it were. It’s the finality of closing a chapter, but my friends, that is just one part of your story.
Acceptance isn’t a white flag; it’s a compass. It’s the moment you stop asking Why is this happening? and start asking Who am I becoming because of it?
The Body Keeps the Score…We often mistake armoring for strength. We think if we keep the facade up, we’re winning. But true strength is the moment you stop the posturing and allow your nervous system to finally settle. Your grief does not define you, and you don’t have to carry it in isolation. We can hold the weight of it together with the rest of who you are.
The Input…This is the most freeing gift you can give yourself. Walk through that door. It’s not easy, and the threshold might feel heavy, but I PROMISE you that it will be worth it. Breathe it in. This is where your renewal actually begins.
As you see in my video today, I’m back on the swing. I’ve always loved play because it is the ultimate state of regulation. In our house, acceptance often looks like a DANCE. We blast the music, we sing at the top of our lungs, and yes, we usually end up dancing on the furniture! When we are playful, we aren’t performing; we are present.
Thank you for walking the stages of grief with me. I hope this allows you to feel the process and understand it is just that, a process! We are in this together. We don’t need to walk it alone.
We are expanding integrative ways to reveal and live in your acceptance. 👇
IntegrativeWellness PlayAsMedicine SovereignLiving YouAreNotAlone

It’s okay to sit in the quiet. Just don’t set up camp there. After the fire of anger and the mental loops of bargaining,...
04/21/2026

It’s okay to sit in the quiet. Just don’t set up camp there.
After the fire of anger and the mental loops of bargaining, your brain enters Conservation Mode. This is Stage 4: Depression. It’s the realization that the loss is real, and your system shuts down to protect what’s left of your resources.
The Body Keeps the Score Reality
This is the Dorsal Vagal Collapse. Your limbs feel like lead, your spine slumps, and your digestion slows. Your body has essentially gone offline. It’s not laziness, it’s a survival response to extreme emotional weight.
The Renewal Lab Move..The Controlled Shock
Today, we aren’t asking the body to run or fight. We are asking it to wake up. The Vibration Plate, The micro-shaking helps shake out the stagnation. It stimulates blood flow and lymphatic drainage, gently telling your muscles that it’s safe to move again.
Hydrotherapy, Whether it’s a frozen Minnesota lake or 20 seconds in a cold shower, this is your Hydro-Reset. Cold exposure provides a controlled shock that forces the nervous system out of the heavy collapse and back into Alert Presence. 20 Seconds of Courage.
That’s all it takes to shift your state. You don’t need an hour of cardio. You just need 20 seconds of choosing to feel alive again.
The Intent…I am allowed to rest, but I am still alive.
👇 Check the comments for the science of why the shiver is your best friend today.
Tomorrow, we reach the horizon. Stage 5: Acceptance.
NervousSystemReset TheBodyKeepsTheScore Hydrotherapy SomaticHealing DepressionRecovery

If I had just done it differently...Welcome to Stage 3 of Grief…Bargaining. This is the stage where your brain a master ...
04/20/2026

If I had just done it differently...
Welcome to Stage 3 of Grief…Bargaining. This is the stage where your brain a master pattern-matching machine tries to negotiate with reality. It creates if/then loops to protect you from the crushing feeling of helplessness.
The Body Keeps the Score Reality
Bargaining lives in the Monkey Mind. It manifests physically as restlessness and deep tension in the neck and shoulders. It’s the literal weight of trying to carry a situation you cannot control.
The Renewal Lab Move Precision Presence (Tai Chi / Yoga)
Today, we stop the mental sprint. We move with the deliberate precision of a Heron.
✨ Why it works:
Whether it’s the slow-motion flow of Tai Chi or the focused balance of Yoga, these movements force your brain out of the imaginary past and into the absolute present. You cannot balance on one leg while living in a what if. By focusing on the exact placement of your hands and feet, you shut down the ruminating loops in your brain.
The Intent..I release the what if and accept the what is👇 Check the comments for how to break the Monkey Mind loop today.
Tomorrow, the energy drops. We face the Heavy Quiet. Get your vibration plates ready for Stage 4 of Grief.
MonkeyMind NervousSystemRegulation BodyKeepsTheScore MindfulMovement HealingJourney

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