Refueling depleted reserves

 

Since I began the practice of Bikram yoga nearly three years ago, many of my posts paint a picture of the takeaways, the lessons learned… mindfulness and a focus on the breath—the present—two recurring themes to carry outside of the hot room. A few days ago, my morning began as a test, or an opportunity, to practice my yoga off the mat. To remain peaceful amidst chaos. My car did not want to start and, when it did, it argued about it until AAA came to the rescue. Eight hours of work, an empty suitcase and last-minute trip plans loomed ahead of me, my flight took off in 24 hours and my adult child still needed her mom. By the time I burst into the yoga studio, I had practiced so much mindfulness throughout the day, my reserve underwent depletion. Thankfully, it only took me an hour to pack after a rock star practice. And I slept like a baby.

How do you refuel depleted reserves?

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Cut yourself a little slack

 

When you leave town in two days, your adult child needs her mommy; you work overtime to stock up the refrigerator, toss extra loads of laundry in the wash and get the house in order; your day job deadlines loom; health issues mean extra doctor appointments; you accept another yoga challenge and the cat vomits on your leather sofa—you might not be able to accomplish each of the steps you’ve outlined to achieve your goals. I reminded myself of this when the time I set aside to write the other night came and went (after more than a month of daily writing). If I expect to pursue my dreams guilt free, then I must also cut myself slack when I’m sidetracked by life. Instead of writing for a prescribed period, maybe I pare it to half or jot down thoughts whenever possible. Once (most) everything is under control, however, it’s important to dive right back in.

How do you know when it’s time to cut yourself slack?

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A self-help junkie finds simplicity

 

I suppose you could call me a self-help junkie. My latest venture is a 33-day path to purpose, passion & joy through Panache Desai’s book: Discovering Your Soul Signature. In my post, “Dialing down the distractions,” I talk about the benefits of tuning out interruptions. Prior to picking up Desai’s guide, I disconnected from the internet for a short hiatus. Although unplugged for a short time, this exercise in self-control removed a bit of the external chatter to allow me to take a step back and focus inward with fewer diversions. To become more connected with myself. I know I can do all that and still keep up with social media but, as an all-or-nothing type of girl, a fast from Facebook helped me move one step closer to the balance I seek in my life. And it reminded me of an important factor I almost forgot: what simple feels like. I’m excited to see where my new venture guides me.

What does simple feel like to you?

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An exercise in self-discovery

 

In my post, “Living in the ‘ah-ha’ moment,” I share my insights about enjoying the journey with no attachments to the past or future. Throughout the last two weeks, I’ve put this concept into practice—in my writing, my job and my relationships. Pertaining to my daily writing habit, I prefer to work on more than one project. This way, I can pick and choose what to work on depending on how I feel in that moment. I might opt to ramble in a blog, experiment with poetry, explore character development or draft a contest essay. For my job, I chart each day and manage the tasks as I go, adjusting as needed contingent on priorities. And in my relationships, I exercise a ‘go-with-the-flow’ mindset. This includes a spur-of-the-moment trip I booked to fly home and play catch up with family and friends. I’ve discovered that living in the ‘ah-ha’ moment is my favorite place to set up camp.

What have you discovered while living in the moment?

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Bringing about a breakthrough

In “Setting goals isn’t brain surgery,” I whittle down the process into manageable, bite-size pieces. Three weeks ago I committed to writing daily and I’ve stuck to it. There have been days when I’m “stuck,” or I don’t feel particularly writerly. But it’s a priority of mine to carve time into each day to type into my keyboard or jot in my pretty ‘cest la vie’ (that’s life) notebook a thought or phrase I want to remember. Whether you seek a breakthrough in the writing process, in your career aspirations, your relationships or education, remember to 1) take yourself seriously if you want others to do the same; 2) don’t take yourself too seriously—it’s a practice (not perfect) and 3) keep the dialogue open—talk less, listen more, journal, pray or meditate and learn something new every day. No matter the breakthrough you desire in your life, it requires two things: commitment and follow through. After that, it’s about celebrating your successes.

What breakthrough do you desire?

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