Flip forward a few years to today. My current life. I am still busy a lot of the time. But I found a way to get rid of feeling CRAZY. By prioritizing how I spend time, and how I look at things. First, I have majorly scaled back on work. I am fortunate to be in a place where I can choose wisely and say no when necessary. I also change how I look at things.
Last Sunday I was thinking about the upcoming week and freaking out/stressed/anxious about all the things I had to get done. I had most of the week scheduled with little downtime to sit around the house and stretch/read/relax. FYI, I am majorly an introvert. This doesn't mean I don't love people. It means I feel very deeply and think a lot and I need downtime/alone/quiet to recharge. When I realized (a HUGE accomplishment for me made possible by meditation and mindfulness)
I was getting worked up I took a breath ( see previous Power of Breath post )
and thought about how my time was being used.
- First of all, I was on a hike. A hike I was rushing through to check it off my to-do list. When I became aware of my state of mind I immediately laughed and switched to being so grateful for being blessed with a body that can move and climb and run. Fun!
- I would spend the whole next day in the recording studio playing a musical. Yes I would be gone all day but this isn't stressful; this is fun!
- Teaching my yoga classes. Fun!
- I would be teaching all my students. Also, not stressful; this is fun and rewarding! I would be preparing my students for a graduation and competition that weekend. Fun!
- I also was rehearsing and performing with the Utah Symphony. Fun!
I should mention I don't think all things in life need to be fun! Being completely honest, I think that was just the first word that came to mind. I love working hard, getting frustrated because I can't figure something out (like this blog!), and the sense of accomplishment that comes when I finally figure out how to get the calendar on the front page of my blog to link to my google yoga teaching calendar. Yay! I think I was just using this word fun to distinguish from things that are a chore, something unpleasant, or something terrible.
It's amazing what taking a breath/pause, considering my thoughts, and changing them did. I didn't change anything in my schedule and yet it felt completely different. I was excited about the week and all the fun things I would be doing. I was grateful for the upcoming opportunities.
Here's my recipe if you'd like to try it.
1. Stop.
2. Breathe.
3. Become aware of your thoughts.
4. Decide if your thoughts are what you'd like them to be or if you'd like to choose to look at the situation a different way.
5. Reframe your thoughts.
5. See how you feel.
Frary Peak Trail on Antelope Island
You can tell I was on a hurry because the only photos are on the top peak
P.S. This doesn't always work to make everything hunky dory. Sometimes I notice myself feeling extremely angry by actions of others. I have learned that anger is a signal that my boundaries have been violated. Once I realize this, I can feel good that I have boundaries. And release the other person from the status of "intentionally horrible person" to someone who probably had no idea what they were doing. Or doesn't know another way. And release them and wish them well. FYI, this is a lot easier to do for people who we only come across once (i.e. inconsiderate drivers) instead of people close to us. However, the practice of metta meditation is a good skill and practice to develop. Because it is only ourselves we are hurting by refusing to forgive and release the other person. More on this topic later...
No comments:
Post a Comment