Merry Stressful Christmas!

I take a deep breath as I begin to write today as I am tired and overwhelmed by Christmas rush and busy-ness.
How are you doing?
Are you looking forward to a break? Are you the host that feels the pressure to make it all perfect? Are you feeling money pressures? The loss of someone you love? Distance from family or too close to family & wanting to escape the craziness?!
Most likely you are not feeling peaceful and prepared and with everything in order but I may be wrong!!!
And you know what?
Its all OK.
I recently heard a TED Talk about making stress your friend. The speaker, a psychologist, who for decades had been advising people to take time out, to breathe, to relinquish some responsibilities in order to bring their life back into balance, to take up yoga, meditation etc. etc. had read new data on stress which said its not so bad for you afterall!!
Its the BELIEF that its bad for you that has a detrimental effect!!! A bit like money being the root of all evil....in fact its the LOVE of money that is the root of all evil.
So time to change our beliefs again!!
Affirm, I thrive on stress, it motivates me, it helps me achieve a great deal, it allows me to connect with others and ask for help. I am a dynamo, I am dynamic, full of energy and courage, all is well in my crazy world. I love the energy of Christmas. I dive in and take part in the festivities with gusto! Life is good!
Dont knock it till you've tried it!!!
Thats what Im going to do. Im off to a party tonight after 5 hours sleep and a full day of work. I choose to see the stress response of my body as helpful, as giving me courage, I can trust my body, knowing that stress keeps my heart be strong and my body helps me rise to any challenge.
Have a wonderful Christmas week everybody!

To read the transcript of the TED talk go here
http://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend/transcript?language=en

Overwhealm

“There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.”
Denis Waitley, American Author



These days life can get overwhelming. Some of our busyness and pressure is external to us as demands of the life we have chosen. And a lot of it is self imposed!





I had one of those days yesterday when everything seemed to be against me. Yet when I slowed down and remembered to be present, take a breath, I realized, if I stopped spinning all these plates the consequences would not be life shattering. Some people may not be happy that I dont show up or complete a task on time but I would be healthier. You know the root cause of the most common diseases in our society is stress.

Yes our modern pace of life is accelerated but we still have the greatest power there is for achieving peace and health and that is CHOICE.

Really - its even more powerful than love because you first have to choose to be loving. In choosing to love myself I had to let go of some things from my day to alieviate the time pressure I was imposing on myself. Not everything got done, there were consequences but I evaluated the quality of my day and I felt it was a day lived better because of the choices I made.

I value the quality of my life and my health. I may not be here next week or next year when I had planned to relax and enjoy life. I have to begin today to live well and in balance.

I used to incorporate one fun thing to do into each day and I had let that slip. It's time to begin again. Today I chose to meet new people at a local park and do a free Chi Kung session. There are probably some similar free activities going on in your area too. If not I find a walk can elevate my thoughts and take me out of my busy head.

What works for you? I'm open to suggestions.


“Our choices in life are made according to our sense of our own worth”
Kaylan Pickford

What's the rush?

Truth lies within ourselves. It takes no rise from outward things, whatever you may believe.

There is an inmost center in us all where, truth abides in fullness and to know, rather consists in opening out a way whence

the imprisoned splendour

may escape, than in effecting entry for light supposed to be without!

Not my words to begin this blog but the words of the English poet Robert Browning written in the late 1800s. No less striking today or true, I believe they are descriptive to the goal of every human being. Each of us seeks to be true to ourselves - to live authentically and fully so that we might know we have lived well.


There are times we dont feel we are doing this, maybe we feel we are so far from the visions we have for your life, dissapointments thwart us, obstacles obstruct our path, we dont make the progress we expect, there is a vague unease, something to be done, a stone to be upturned, something has to change in the outside world. I know I feel that way often. I want to achieve something great, I want to be somewhere other than I am. I imagine life is out there around the next bend if I could only get there!


This feeling is unpleasant. I dont like to feel this way. It seems to taint everything with a vague dissatisfaction. If I can turn toward it and address it; take a moment to center, this can make all the difference.


I realize I can only be where I am now. I look to what is right in front of me to do and I seem to re-enter my body, my day, the moment and a realization dawns. I may not be where I want to get to but right now I can see how far I have come and most of all how much I have to be grateful for. That shift is like a door opening to a new experience, a new perspective. Giving my full attention to my present task is sufficient. If I can do it well, whether its washing dishes, filing documents, or making phone calls, it is it's own reward.

My mother used to say, "One step and then another and soon the longest journey is done." It's the only way we can get to where we are going, whats the rush anyway? Walking has always been a great way to enjoy the scenery!