I am passionate about living well. About reaching out and inspiring others to improve the quality of their lives by changing what they put into their mouths and what they do with their bodies. I love writing about healthy & delicious foods and good nutrition. I was going to send out a newsletter about cucumbers today..
And then I woke up this morning, glanced at the newspaper, thought about the people I love that are going through difficult times and I decided instead to write about something that is even more important on this road to good health and happiness. And that is inner balance. Because when life throws you lemons, all the cucumbers in the world will not make a difference. How you deal with it mentally is what will.
No-one is immune to life’s suffering. We all go through ups and downs. Little bumps in the road and sometimes massive dips. My own life has been a roller coaster ride in the past year. And I didn’t always do well with that. I found myself having trouble adjusting to huge changes. Until I “woke up” and realized that my happiness was not dependent on outer circumstances but a direct result of my inner peace and acceptance. And that only I was capable of finding that peace.
Some events or happenings are hard to overcome. When you are in the middle of a crisis you might not be able to see the way out or even believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel, let alone find your inner center. You might be overwhelmed and not know where to start to make it all better.
When I was thinking of the people I love this morning I wished there was something I could do or say to help them weather the storms they are in. And although everyone’s journey is different I thought I could share what helps me stay balanced and connected.
I take out 45 minutes of my day every morning, right after I wake up. I do a few gentle yoga stretches, some breathing exercises and then I sit and I am. My mind is quiet sometimes and sometimes it is not. I try to just be and breathe and bring my full awareness into that and sometimes I manage and sometimes I don’t. And that doesn’t matter. It should not be a struggle. I end every session with gratitude for all the blessings in my life and I remind myself that I am perfect, that I am loved and cared for and that I am exactly where I need to be. And I commit to living this day with awareness, one moment at a time.
Awareness
There is in each of us a center that remains peaceful and calm despite the turbulence that happens in our lives. The endless train of thoughts and worries in our heads stops us from connecting with that center especially during difficult and stressful times. But if you can somehow find the time and a way, even if only briefly, to bring your awareness to that safe space on a daily basis it will make a huge difference to your frame of mind.
A simple way to do this is by bringing your awareness to your breath. Close your eyes and observe your breathing: the rising and falling of your belly, the air moving in and out of your nostrils. Feel your breath slowing down, your body relaxing and simply think “in” when you inhale and “out” when you exhale. This is a basic meditation technique or awareness practice that will temporarily take you out of your head and into the moment. You sit and breathe and all your attention is on that process.
Bringing full awareness into everything you do, from brushing your teeth to eating your food or talking to someone will keep you out of your head and bring you into the flow of the universe. And when you are in that flow, open to and accepting of every moment, life becomes easier and you will find things falling into place.
People tell you: “take it one step at a time” or “go with the flow” which is the same principle: by doing so you stop the mind from taking you into the past or into the future and instead you start living in the now where there is no room for worries or stresses. When you breathe, breathe. When you eat, eat. When you read, read.. With full and complete attention. No space left to think, no blocking the flow.
Acceptance
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” ― Lao Tzu
Trust in the universe. It is hard to understand why certain things happen. But they do. Whatever the reason may be it is important to accept what is, make peace with it, and have faith that the universe will take you to where you need to be. Just stay open and aware and you will intuitively know what to do next. You have all you need at the core of your being: all the strength, peace, love, happiness and wisdom. Trust yourself.
I like to spend a bit of time each day to read something inspiring. There are many great books out there written by some real enlightened human beings but few say it better then the famous bear of very little brain:
“What day is it?”
“It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
“My favorite day, said Pooh.
Make it the best day ever..
With love,
Monique
