Change the old patterns that you are comfortable with yet are toxic. Take out the clutter in your life to make room for a clean and healthy mental and physical environment for yourself to create a peaceful silence in your life (and sleep!). It's a win-win for both you and others in your life.
Do you believe in magic? I do. The holiday and New Year seasons are lovely reminders of its importance; you can feel it in the air if you are still enough. Small acts of kindness, random gestures, or simple adventures can fill your heart and that of others with magic. Hope. Peace.
Here's a scenario to consider; someone asks you to attend a gathering, and you feel compelled to go. You don't want to, but what would they think of you if you didn't? Ask these questions; Why don't you want to go? Why do you feel compelled to go? What would happen if you honored yourself and didn't go?
Do you ever stop to reflect on the effect you have on other people's lives? You can be the reason someone smiles, including yourself, but you can cause a negative reaction as well. Good, bad, or indifferent, the energy we put out influences the energy we receive. Isn't it better, then, to choose positive, peaceful responses whenever we can?
In the United States, more than nine million people – about one in five - fall into the category of 'caregiver,' yet many neglect to raise their hands and acknowledge that they are. As roles change in our lives, whether temporarily helping a loved one or going in for the long haul, the guidebooks are unclear and far too long.
Kindness is one of the simplest gifts you can give to others and yourself. Showing that you care, especially in this fast-paced world, is important, but requires mindfulness. Small acts of kindness, like looking into someone's eyes, saying hello, or saying thank you, can make a dramatic difference in mood and attitude. When you notice someone upset or angry, pausing to ask, "Is there something that I can do for you?" creates a shift in energy and fosters connections.
When do you run your mind tapes during the day? Just before sleep or first thing in the morning? We all do it. The balance happens when we don't let it cycle over and over and over and... over.
I pose a question for you. What is the priority in your life at this moment? Is it making a difference in the world, finding your true love, gaining peace at work, losing five pounds? Or perhaps your mind is filled with the effects of COVID still raging through our lives, the aftermath of the holiday bustle, thinking forward about taxes…. You feel it coming: the wave of angst; the tension, the wrestling in your sleep, the snapping for no reason.
Let’s be real here. We all have days where a lot is piling up, and that one conversation takes you off guard and flips you into oblivion. It is easy enough to get swept up in an argument or misinterpret what is happening with someone else. I'm sure those situations have happened to all of us, and I'm equally certain that beating ourselves up afterward with "I should have…;" "I wish I had…;" has no benefits. Looking at the situation without judgment allows us to tune in to what else may be happening.
I found myself in one of those crazy days last week where I kept hearing bad news from friends, a busy workday, coupled with a few crazy freeway drivers mixed in with being tired, and I could feel myself getting swallowed into the black hole. I remembered listening to the birds chirping outside my window as I woke that morning and brought back that sense of joy through a few deep, long breathes. Did it make it all go away? No. But it did get me from a tilting position to feel more balanced? Yes.