Blue skies here. The change in my mood is palatable. Amazing what a little sunshine can do for a person's mood. It could also have been the yoga class this morning, or the cup of coffee, or the nice conversation with my husband, or the phone call from a friend,...or maybe my moods are, like my thoughts, constantly changing. Instead of getting down for being down, maybe I should try to ride the wave knowing that only change is constant. On the backside of being down is coming up and being up. Instead of attaching myself to these cycles of mood swings, how can I step back and witness the changes without getting so wrapped up in them? Add the pressure of everyone around us and their moods... Whoa! No wonder there is suffering.
Stay tethered with the breath. When you struggle to get out of bed, breathe. When a wave of anxiety and dread hits you like a hammer, breathe. Do what you can, without judgement. With full compassion and kindness. Life is not easy. It is not going to get any easier. But hopefully, our practice will keep us sane through the insane times we encounter.
Maybe, just maybe, we will become the peace we want to see in the world. Like Ghandi, can we become so ensconced in our practice of peace that the person next to us becomes peaceful simply by being with us? Now, that is something to work for!
Have a great, sunny, first day of December!
1 comment:
So true Elena and Charry, it is a beautiful day today in NE Ohio! My morning has gone well with meetings and I feel like I have offered positive coaching to my team today. And, best of all, I have crossed more off my HOT list than added to it. Hoorah! I think this is in part of trying to focus on being in the moment and breathing through the waves, rather than "scoring" myself on the days events/outcomes.
A friend who is going through some serious medical challenges sent me an email last night saying she was feeling much more at peace with her upcoming surgery after reading the following message on "Environment and Happiness."
I am sharing it here because I think it relates to this "Sunshine" post.
Namaste,
Sandee
Winner's Circle Network with Lou Tice - 11/21/11 - "Environment and Happiness"
To some extent, each of us is affected by the environment around us. But when your happiness depends on what goes on around you, you are in trouble.
Have you ever thought about what happens when we let what goes on in our environment determine how we feel on the inside? When things are going well, we feel good, cheerful, positive, and full of enthusiasm. But when the least little thing goes wrong, we start to come un-glued.
If this happens, we can start feeling like a victim, and when we feel this way we give up control of our lives. I also believe that we are victims because we have chosen to be that way.
I have heard that if you are not having problems, you are missing an opportunity for growth. This is exactly the thing I am talking about, because you choose to take charge of how you respond and what you do, regardless of what is happening in your environment.
You know, there is only one thing in life over which we have complete control, and that is what goes on inside our minds. When you choose to take charge of your thoughts, of the things you tell yourself, you become very powerful. Certainly, you may feel disappointment when things go wrong, but you can choose to see all the setbacks as temporary. You can choose to use them as opportunities to grow, and you'll develop the ability to quickly bounce back when you hit an obstacle, as well as the incredible strength that comes from standing up to adversity.
The choice really is yours to make - it has been, and will continue to be.
Lou Tice
The Pacific Institute, Inc.
www.thepacificinstitute.com
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