“Things falling apart is a kind of testing and also a kind of healing. We think that the point is to pass the test or to overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It’s just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.” – Pema Chodron
Life is such a dance. It’s fluid, ever-changing and evolving. There is joy and there is grief. Nothing is fixed or permanent. Birth and death are part of life. Experiencing discomfort, navigating challenges and being affected by the death – can all be humbling experiences AND opportunity for great transformation and resilience – if we allow them to be.
Mindfulness teaches us how to stay present and connected to LIFE even when – and especially when – it gets tough. Mindfulness reminds us to PAUSE, BREATHE and OBSERVE. Mindfulness reminds us that our body + heart hold all the wisdom we seek. And that WE can navigate the speed bumps in our path with EASE and COMPASSION.
So, as you move through into March, I encourage you to remember these tips:
1. Do 1 thing a day that brings you JOY.
2. SMILE – it helps everything.
3. BREATHE – take 5 slow, deep breaths whenever you need. Deep breathing helps your body shift from the sympathetic nervous system (stress) to the parasympathetic nervous system (calm).
4. MOVE your body – movement helps to release endorphins which make you feel good/ happier (so stretch, walk, run, bike, dance, swim, workout every day).
5. CALL a friend/ family or JOURNAL – expressing how you feel helps to RELEASE the stress from your body. We store SO much emotional stress in our body… we are not meant to hold it all. LET IT OUT and LET IT GO.