Trying to sleep.
No luck.
Those pesky thoughts of things gone by
keep swirling In my mind.
Some are good, but many are bad.
How to stop them taking command.
They are uninvited guests for sure.
But …
do I have this all wrong?
Maybe they’re nothing to fear.
Just a map of my life so far
showing me where I’ve been
and where I need to be.
Life can get so hectic sometimes, especially if you are working and raising kids. And, if you have one of those jobs where you are giving to others, it’s a double whammy. Self-care isn’t something we give much thought to. Probably because we are taught it’s selfish to think of ourselves. And even if we do think of it from time to time, it’s usually put on the back burner.
You know what happens if self-care remains on the back burner too long—you burn out, and when that happens you’re no good to yourself or anyone else. Here’s an idea for self-care. Make a list of all the things that bring you JOY. They don’t have to cost an arm and a leg, and most will cost nothing at all. Each week pick one of the items on the list and treat yourself. It could be a long walk somewhere beautiful, a soak in a bubble bath, or a cup of tea and a good book. Maybe buy yourself something once in awhile. You get the idea.
The world is a loud place to be, and we can lose ourselves in that loudness and become so stressed out. Be good to yourself and soon you’ll see how much calmer and happier you feel.
Your soul deserves to be loved. Go ahead and give it some flowers.
There are times when you find yourself out in nature and you are compelled to lose yourself in the breathtaking environment. Maybe, like the picture above, you find yourself on a foggy beach and somehow the sight and the feel of the fog wrapping around you becomes comforting and safe. You dig your toes deep into the soft sand, and before you know it, the sea splashes over your bare feet and the icy cold water makes you jump like a giddy child. Immediately you feel so alive and one with your surroundings.
There are so many ways to connect with nature, and this is one of my favorites. Sometimes we just need to stop and take a breath, and let nature handle all the rest.
Find your peace in quiet places that speak to you. Sometimes the world is cruel, and we need to take a break from all the noise and craziness. Cover yourself in love and nature’s beauty, and don’t forget to breathe. Tomorrow is another day.
“Lose yourself in nature and find peace.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Don’t let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.” ~ Dalai Lama
If you are lucky to possess good health then you should rejoice everyday into your life. So it’s cold and raining or snowing. Bring that child living inside of you out into the open and jump into the rain puddles, and let the snow tickle your nose. Pay attention and see how each little snowflake has its own design. Marvel at nature. Breathe deep; this is life.
“Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend. Non-being is the greatest joy.” ~ Lao Tzu
Be kind to yourself, especially if you’re caring for a chronically ill human, or pet in your life. Caregivers get lost in the caring and forget about themselves. Sometimes depression sets in as constant worry and the workload take over. It’s hard to feel joy, or for that matter, feel anything. All warning signs to take better care of You and find help.
“A leaf fluttered in through the window this morning, as if supported by the rays of the sun. A bird settled on the fire escape. Joy in the task of coffee; joy accompanied me as I walked.” ~ Anais Nin
Joy is found in the little things. Get the rest you need, and feed your soul. If you can’t give to yourself you will be of no use to anyone that needs your help. A little bit of time to yourself will make you a new person filled with energy and happiness. Seek balance.
“I rejoice in what I have, and I greet the new with open arms.” ~ Louise Hay
Rejoice into this life you’ve been given, and live.
The beauty of nature can cure even the grumpiness of days. Get outside, breathe in the sweet air, and if you’re lucky, the sun will plant a great big kiss on your face. Feel the trees embracing you as they do a swing dance in the breeze. What about those silly flowers? Well, they’re busy laughing and telling the bees all the latest gossip and perhaps a few of the secrets you keep.
Come on, open yourself up to nature and go play… at least for a day.
“Don’t carry your mistakes around. Instead place them under your feet to use as stepping stones.” ~ Author Unknown
Oh, mistakes, we all make them and will continue to do so until the end of time. It’s not really all that important that we make big and small mistakes as we travel along. What is very important though is that we try and learn from them and hopefully not make the same ones again and again. When that happens something is very much out of whack in the whole way we are living and deserves some investigation.
Beating ourselves up won’t make the mistakes any less and only causes horrible stress in our lives, and we certainly have enough stress just by breathing so we shouldn’t be manufacturing it too.
I used to be really hard on myself when I made any kind of mistake and probably lost some future years and brain cells while putting myself through hell. So now I have finally learned to do what needs to be done when I make a mistake, and then let it go blowing in the wind. Very freeing and good for the soul.
I’m happier living this way and I bet you will be too. Go on, live your life, but don’t be so hard on yourself. Always keep learning by trying new things, and simply brush yourself off when you fall on your face. Hey, that’s how you learn to be mindful.
“Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forward.” ~ Kierkegaard
Sometimes we have to ask ourselves if what the mind is telling us is really true. The mind conspires with the ego and is not a reliable source. Better to ask our Spirit instead.
“You are not required to set yourself on fire to keep other people warm.” ~ Author Unknown
When you’ve been putting up with a difficult person or persons in your life for a long time there will come a day when you will feel that enough is enough, and that will be the day you will have reached your point of saturation. We all have our limits on how much and for how long we can put up with grueling relationships, but once you reach your end there is no turning back.
Sometimes when you reach this point, it’s burnout from the people you work with, a demanding relative, or your mate. It doesn’t matter who has caused it, but what matters is what you are going to do about it, because staying in any kind of bad relationship is detrimental to your health.
Don’t feel bad if you’ve reached saturation. It’s simply a sign that change is overdue in your life. There are steps you can take to mend and hopefully save the relationship. Communication is always best, but sometimes people are hard to communicate with. This can be especially true if they are a relative, or a lover. You would think it would be easier, but the closer the person is to you, sometimes the harder it is to talk to them.
You could give counseling or mediation a try, but if that doesn’t help, or you don’t even want to try, then it’s time to walk away. Your life is not supposed to be about making yourself miserable so others can be happy. You deserve to live a happy and balanced life, and that doesn’t include letting other people step all over you—no matter who they are in your life.
Be brave enough to love and protect yourself from those that only want to control and hurt you.
LISTEN MORE, SPEAK LESS, AND A WHOLE NEW WORLD WILL OPEN UP FOR YOU.
“The word listen contains the same letters as the word silent.” ~ Author Unknown
Life as a Garden 