I will be the first to admit to you all that this week drained some motivation out of me. There is something about January that just always makes me metaphorically put my head down and truck along without really taking a moment to look up, look around, and breath a bit. I definitely caught myself in this cycle, anyone else?
Often times, I think, we expect the process of staying present to be easy. Like it should be effortless for me to attend to lovely little moments with my friends, or it should be easy for me to notice how beautiful the sunset is, or how good it feels to your bones when you get a good night's rest. But it isn't always that simple is it? Sometimes, I'm talking to myself here too, we become so focused on just getting through, that we miss all the good.
I had a stern talking with myself this week about being a more active participant in my life. I find myself sitting in the idea that life is simply just happening to me, I am a floating blob just being pushed and pulled by the wills of things outside of me...but you are life. Within your body, your mind, your soul life is happening. You and life are best friends, completely intertwined and unable to be separated. Which is why you may feel such an internal tension or exhaustion when you are not actively engaging with it.
So what do we do with this? I think everyone can agree that we want to be a more connected and present person, but the reality quickly sets in that this is actually a really hard thing to do. Truth is, I'm not really sure. Here's what I have discovered so far, see what feels right for your heart and your life and implement those things.
Shower yourself in grace. Being an engaged person is tiring, pretending like it isn't won't get you anywhere. When you have those days (you will), where you feel like you must tune out a bit to simply get through the day, please do that. Listen to yourself and respond with obedience, and without a shred of shame.
Breathe. It sounds simple enough, and that's the beauty of it; it is simple! Take deep, intentional breaths that feel excessive, but aren't. As you breath, think of things you are exhaling out, imagine them building up in your lungs and then release them into the world.
Do something that feels good to you every single day. Something that doesn't have to feel productive necessarily (unless you are a person where productivity lights your soul on fire), and not something that directly benefits someone else. It is simply something that brings joy to your heart, for the sake of feeling good.
This was a hard week. I was feeling a lot of external pressures weighing me down, and feeling like I wanted to fight myself out of those pressures. What if, however, instead of fighting against pressures, we turned our attention to fighting for peace. I'm new at this, as I discover new ways I will share them; and I hope you'll share back with me. Let's learn how to be front-seaters in our lives together.
No cooking this week, I just couldn't muster up excitement about food; instead it was takeout and my dad's chocolate cream pie. Sometimes it feels good to let other people fill your role, and in practicing the art of #1; I'm okay with that.
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