Practice What Brings You Peace

I don’t know about y’all, but life has felt very hard as of late. I, like others, am horrified by what I see on the news. My heart aches for the people of Ukraine, the people of Russia who are risking their lives to stand up and protest, and to all who are suffering in the world today. People are struggling in Yemen with food insecurity and a tragic humanitarian crisis that never receives as much attention as it should. People are grieving all around the globe for those they have lost due to the coronavirus, for their businesses that have gone under, or for all the loneliness caused by a two-year global pandemic. We are all hurting. We are all grieving. We are all fatigued. We are all disconnected to some extent from ourselves and from our communities.

Uncertainty is Uncomfortable to say the least!

Times are uncertain. I have never been comfortable with uncertainty. As a matter of fact, I am one of those people who used to try to control everything so that there would be no surprises, nothing out of place, no uncertainty. Of course, I would make myself crazy trying to control others and environments so that I could feel safe. After all, that is what I feared about uncertainty; I felt it was dangerous or that I would not be safe. However, a wise coach helped me understand that this fear came from a deep, embedded thought. Working the thought “uncertainty is dangerous” was eye-opening and life changing for me. When I say, “Working the thought”, I am specifically referring to a life coach tool called The Work. While I would love to say that working the thought one time healed me, I will not lie to myself or you. Working it once helped me begin a healing process that probably will never end. Working it once helped me open the door to understanding the power that maintaining this unhealthy, fearful thought had and can still have over my life.

It is important to note that the focus on uncertainty as dangerous is completely focused on everything outside of me, everything outside of my control. My healing requires me to look inward. As Lynne Twist, author of The Soul of Money, states,

“In the stillness, beneath the noise, is a quiet awareness not plagued by a sense of scarcity or influenced by doubts, projections, and fear.

Tuning into this is to tap into contentment within ourselves where we know that everything is sufficient and all is well. It is here that we are able to detach from outcomes so that we can embrace living once again in the wisdom of uncertainty.

This is a powerful time to turn inward, release tension, and focus on our intention to practice the values of the feminine, which include dropping from our heads and into our hearts.”

Right Now is the Perfect Time to Practice

Every day is a perfect day to practice the skills that help us live as balanced and fulfilled a life as possible. However, it has become clear to me that the moment when the outside world feels like it is going crazy is absolutely the best time to practice every skill that helps us breathe easier. So, if you meditate, keep meditating. If you practice Self-Compassion, keep practicing. If you spend time in nature, make sure that being in nature is on your to-do list! If coloring is something that helps you maintain balance, then color to your heart’s content. If connecting with friends and loved ones nourishes your heart, then by all means reach out, initiate, be courageous, and connect with others.

So, take this time of uncertainty to practice whatever helps you feel grounded. Practice what gives you strength. Practice what brings you peace! The decision to practice anything that brings you calm could be the best decision you make all day!

 

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Sharing Corner

If you read my blog, then you know I am a big fan of Kristin Neff. She and her work continually inspire me and remind me to continue to practice. She posted this recently on Facebook, and I thought I would share.

 

Peace is not passive; it is mental clarity and compassion in action. Your healing not only benefits you and everyone you encounter, but it helps you make better and more humane decisions in a rapidly changing world.

 

Personal healing is important, but collective healing is also critical. Human beings do not live in a vacuum, our interconnectedness is what gives us the opportunity to thrive.

Inspirations

I have discovered James-Olivia Chu Hillman (they/them), whom I follow on Facebook. Every day without fail their questions and ponderings stop me in my tracks and make me think, which I consider a gift! Hillman is a facilitator and enthusiastic advocate of necessary, uncomfortable, and life-changing conversations. This is one of their recent posts. It was the inspiration for the blog post.