Tag: Change

Observing Thoughts and Vibrations

Thoughts.RopeI have been thinking about writing something that would be beneficial and not be the same old stuff we are seeing being posted on social media sites and definitely not what has been broadcasted over the media 24/7.  Yes, we all have been affected in one way or another and to quote a friend of mine, “it doesn’t matter what our specific belief systems are or what philosophy we hold, we have been stirred and fake news and pseudo facts are not helpful.”

Neither is our own “unchecked thinking.” It is too easy to spiral out of control with our thoughts and imagine worst possible scenarios and then start believing in them. Yet I understand… we don’t like ambiguity and some would rather imagine the worst and plan in their heads what they would do in order to feel in control of something versus slowing down for a few weeks in our homes and only go out when we need supplies or services. We want black and white and the truth is… we never really have it. We create our lives, routines and scenarios in our life to feel like we are in control. But life wiggles… we wiggle. And we need to practice useful thinking to guard our hearts and minds in the moments we have. This is the best practice in all time periods, not just the one we are in. But, if you are sinking and unable to stop your thinking and feelings from taking you down a rabbit hole of anxiety, despair, or depression, DO NOT SIT THERE ALONE! Make a call to a friend, a co-worker, a counselor, or someone in your community that can get you connected to others. This is not the time to let yourself be taken down. phone hand setSituations always seem more monstrous when we suffering from fear, depression, or anxiety. If you don’t know who to call, you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): 1-800-662-HELP (4357). They are there 24/7.

Did you know that mindful thinking raises good vibrations in our body and changes our chemical make up so that we actually are physically different? Breath work and meditation changes our brains and we then we can have a greater state of calm. No, we can’t just be calm like our mom use to say… “calm down!” We have to take an action and slow down, and take deep breaths, and learn other mindfulness technics. Yes, we have to do the work. I would rather do that than spin out with apocalyptic thinking that serves no healthy purpose to my body and mind. It only creates more stress. So take the time to slow down and look online for breathwork practices or meditation exercises. You can control one thing… it is your thoughts and what you choose do with them.

Link to how Breath-work benefits the mind and body: https://chopra.com/articles/how-breathwork-benefits-the-mind-body-and-spirit

I am fortunate to live in an area where I am safe. I am fortunate to have a home and a job which I can work from home in a company that is on top of their game and cares 100% about their employees and customers. Grateful, grateful, grateful! I am fortunate that I have skills and crafts that keep my mind in positive places and that I can talk with others and be of some value to their mental wholeness. Many of us have not practiced mindfulness… which helps to stop the “spinning out” with our thoughts. Many people are affected by this current state of health concerns. Shopping malls are closed, businesses are closed or very restricted. There are lines at grocery stores in the cities and suburbs. We have not been here in this moment of time before and we don’t know what it will look like next week. But we know what it looks like today. If you are reading this, you have a pulse. You have a computer or a device that lets you stay connected. We are a creative people with thoughts that are creative as well. You create your day with your thoughts, with what you watch, with what you say, and with what you believe. I am in no way diminishing that this is hard for most and uncomfortable for many. But please, if you want information, limit it to what is only necessary for you in your area. Reposting stats and news snips that are already in the media could add stress to you and your friends that follow your social media feeds. Ask the question, “Is this helpful?” before you post or repost. Here is what I have kept my finger on:

 

The Media is so hyped right now that they are not telling you the good things that are occurring around the world, i.e., China is back to shopping in malls, children are returning to school, businesses are reopening there, and they are closing the extra emergency hospitals that were opened because they are not needed anymore.

Person Writing Today I Am Grateful For Text On NotebookLook for the good in your moment, right where you are. Look for the good that is happening around you. Focus on the good you would like to see, what you may do once we are over this hump. What are some of the things you are grateful for? Ponder them. Write about them. Who are you grateful for? Call them. Text them a love note. Create a ripple of Good right were you are. You can change your vibration and that good vibration can change other people’s vibrations.

Lastly… we can send positive vibes to others via what I have learned called Metta Meditation also known as Loving Kindness Meditation. Think of those you love who you are separated from. Think of those at your jobs or on the front lines. Think of people in other parts of our world who are also experiencing challenges. Here are some links:

When you don’t know what to do…. Practice this. You will shift your mood and shift your energy thereby changing how you are able to cope better now and in all situations.

Blessings to all…

  • May you be safe
  • May you be at ease
  • May you be healthy
  • And may you be happy

~ Sue

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Observing Distraction

 

Our society has never been as distracted as it is now. Our ability to hold our attention on one thing at one time is challenged by our multi-tasking minds and our over active devices notifying us when our Twitter feed has a new follower or a new friend request has been accepted. We have apps on our cell phones to inform us about the weather, how are stock is doing, when our packages will be shipped, and now managing the temperature of our new digital coffee cup! But even in this, I digress.

The distractions that are on my mind are the ones that prevents us from truly living and Image result for Picture of being distractedmoving in the directions of our dreams. It is the type of distraction that is used as a smoke screen so we don’t deal with the hard questions about who we are, what we really love to do, what excites us, and what will it take to motivate us to climb out of a routine that stagnates our minds? We have become so mechanical in our patterns of living that days turn to weeks and weeks turn into years until two or three decades have past and the only thing that has changed is either the girth of our waist or the color of our hair or both.

I am quite sure that if we allow ourselves to ask if we love and enjoy what we do everyday, most of us would would say “no, but what else can I do?” We have worked ourselves into a lifestyle that requires us to continue doing what we do to pay for what we have that we don’t get to use because we are to busy working and commuting to continue the cycle. STOP!

Our lives as we know them have become the very distractions that prevents us from doing what we really love and some of us can’t even remember what it is like to wake up with enthusiasm or joy. We have become jaded and hope that once we retire, we have the energy to do some of the things we have put off for years.

Image result for Picture of being distractedWhy wait? What is it that you love to do? What has been distracting you from doing it? What fears have kept you from pursuing the creative ideas that rattle around in your mind? What can you change to begin to feel like you are living again instead of surrendering yourself to someone else’s dream? Make the space!!! Make a list of what you miss doing and how you can start making room for it in your life now. Observe how it feels to imagine doing what you love and follow that feeling.

Dropping the Distraction,

Sue

 

 

Observing Resistance to Winter

Late Autumn and Winter in the Northern Hemisphere brings with it the illusion that the days are shorter and the belief that there is not enough time to do all we want to accomplish. When I get home after the end of my work day, the darkness Early.Winter.Lightingdrives me inside where the house is warm and the lights are ambient. It triggers the sensation that the whole day is over and that it is time to wind down and tuck myself in for the evening. I observe my resistance. I notice that this time of year changes the amount of activity in my life. Yes, there are still errands to run, the job, the chores about the home, etc. But I feel that the creative, break-me-out-of-my-routine activities become less. That inner-bear wants to scurry home to hibernate as this cycle of the season gets underway with the titling of our planet that shortens our exposure to the light of the sun.

As an observer of life, I do see that there are natural cycles that flow from one into Early.Winter.at.Lakeanother as the seasons go from spring to summer and from autumn to winter. The plants do not resist. They drop their leaves willingly and their growth slows down. The squirrels in my back yard also change their habits. They gather nuts and seeds from the trees that line the creek beyond my fence and their playful presence diminishes for a few months. The neighborhood is also quiet as the after dinner walks and curbside basketball games have been replaced by indoor activities. We take shelter.

It is true that, with the nature of seasons, winter tends to bring a time of reflection and slowing down; an ending of sorts so as to prepare us for the new beginnings that come with the arrival of spring. It is a time of nurturing and review. Inner work tends to take place, if we permit it, as well as the process of closure that comes at the end of a year.

Yet, there is still something inside of me that earns for the feeling of longer days. Time has not changed. There are still the same number of hours and I long to be active and not succumb to the slowing down of things. It is true that we as humans have our own cycles and that we ebb and flow as we traverse changes in our lives. Early.Winter.SkyBut I am not desirous of conforming to the sheltering effect that winter brings. My life desires expression. My body desires activity. I earn for connection that is beyond cyber chats and video links. My urge to touch life as it is happening is alive and pressing! Therefore, I look to this new day and position myself to do something that brings forth greater expression, expansion, and vibrancy to my mind, body, and my relationship to all that surrounds me. And… I will also stay open to what winter may bring for she is knocking on my door. I choose to open my heart to her, to observe what it is I need to know, where I need to release resistance, and how I can become present in the midst of this change in seasons.

Observing what is,

Sue