It's summertime and chances are you can remember a summer vacation when life moved at a slower pace. It felt so good to just enjoy the days and nights. No pressure from school schedules, work schedules, volunteering and more.
Vacations serve an important purpose ? time to recharge our batteries and more. I see many clients living from vacation to vacation, weekend to weekend or day to day leap-frogging between time off. If you're always looking ahead to what time off is next for you, you may want to learn how to lily-pad!
Lily-padding is the art of enjoying where you are in the moment. Not just a resting place and not just the place between vacations, it's your life every day. And you get to choose how best to use it. If you're a seasoned leap-frogger, lily-padding may seem like sitting on your own hands. With practice you can learn to enjoy exactly where you are and what's available to you in the moment and everyone gets the best of you.
I can hear the objections already! So just stay curious about lily-padding. Here are 3 strategies to get you started:
1. Start with the belief that things can change.
Before the Berlin Wall came down how many people could even imagine it not existing? How many accepted that it would be there forever? What's your Berlin Wall? Try this ?' I'll see it when I believe it'. An important twist on 'I'll believe it when I see it'. The first version invites you to see things differently, to envision your life as you want to see it. It encourages you to take action. The second invites you to wait and see what will happen. Life on the lily-pad isn't about doing nothing.
2. Out with the old to make room for the new things to come into your life. Pay attention to what in your life you just tolerate. Make a list. What are you saying yes to that doesn't feed your soul. What would you like to have instead?
3. Practice being in the moment ? try some meditation.
Previously associated with hippies and yogis, meditation is mainstream and there's good reason for it. Just as daily exercise strengthens and trains your body, daily meditation trains and strengthens your mind. And the benefits go well beyond the minutes you spend in your daily practice. Over time, meditation 'exercise' builds your capacity to detach from the emotional reactions that cloud our thinking. With practice you can deal with stressful situations with very natural composure. A recent study by Richard Davidson , at the University of Wisconsin, identified that regular meditation is not only good for your mind, but great for your health too. His research found that regular meditation supports a healthier immune system, reduces anxiety and increases positive emotions.
There are a myriad of teachers, books and online resources to get you started. My introduction was to a simple breathing meditation. Get comfortable then concentrate on the breath going in and out of the tip of your nose as you breathe regularly. Initially I couldn't sit for more than a few minutes, peaking at the clock to see if I was 'done' yet. Every time your mind strays from the breath, you notice this and gently pull your attention back to the breath. Eventually, you'll spend less time thinking and more time being. Like any sport training it all seems so stilted at first until you hit that perfect drive, ski the flawless run or swim 800 metres with ease. Keep at it and eventually it's second nature. You may want to try a few different techniques before adopting your own daily practice. The thing is just to start somewhere.
The world needs more lily-padders. What will you do to get started?
Need support to get started? Visit http://www.avirtualretreat.com/inspirations for a free guided meditation. Debbie Kemp and Cynthia Wright offer resources and support to help you move from stress-full to stress-free.
Culver prom limo ..I learned a valuable lesson recently. A short while ago,... Read More
We are not designed for long term stress.It causes us... Read More
As we celebrate yet another Labor Day, I thought it... Read More
The Problem You don't need me to tell you how... Read More
Punch a pillowScream into a pillowTurn on your favorite music... Read More
Too much driving, too much shopping, too much rushing around,... Read More
Do you ever fret? In today's materialistic age, sometimes fretting... Read More
Is your in-tray or inbox full? I don't normally check... Read More
When it is all said and done, do you feel... Read More
Why Stress Management programmes don't work?It seems that every week... Read More
Everyone knows that stress isn't good - that it can... Read More
There are two types of anxiety:*Situational *Existential.Most of us experience... Read More
"Let your mind be quiet, realizing the beauty of the... Read More
Of all the sources of stress in our lives, faulty... Read More
I came out of a nightmare 5-year period of anxiety... Read More
Self-Care Strategies:Substantial breakfast daily Regular sleeping habits (minimum of 7... Read More
ExcusesWe all have them. It amazes me how creative I... Read More
1. The Law of EveryoneIt is not neccessarily wrong to... Read More
Stress can affect virtually any part of the body and... Read More
Whenever we think of 'stress', negative thoughts come into our... Read More
There are many kinds of daily grinds. In the U.S.... Read More
"One day I'm a mother, One day I'm a lover,... Read More
What do you do when you wake up in the... Read More
I had the unpleasant experience of being pulled over the... Read More
Imagine going through your whole life in the constant fear... Read More
Wood Dale limo ..It was a self-exploration that made me understand myself. It... Read More
We are not designed for long term stress.It causes us... Read More
Use these simple tips to minimize stress in your day... Read More
Stress and anxiety can prematurely age our mind and body.... Read More
Loneliness and separation are the real illness of our times.... Read More
Are you a person who has a keen imagination, a... Read More
Fear, and its accompanying seriousness, causes our suffering. Fear restricts... Read More
We all know what it's like coming home from a... Read More
First, let's make a distinction between pressure and stress. We... Read More
1. The Law of EveryoneIt is not neccessarily wrong to... Read More
We've all been there, right? We find ourselves living with... Read More
The number one most popular issue that users of a... Read More
Q. I've suffered a few setbacks and disappointments in the... Read More
I am worried. I have been biting my nails for... Read More
There is good stress, and there is bad stress. Good... Read More
Genuine enthusiasm...real feeling of accomplishment...sense of satisfaction and fun. Welcome... Read More
It has long been suggested that "music soothes the savage... Read More
Why are you so busy? Do you really have too... Read More
"I've got too much to do, I've just got too... Read More
Recently I completed some new workshop engagements in addition to... Read More
Most humans experience unexpected setbacks which can cause huge stress... Read More
I'm so excited that I have discovered this secret today.... Read More
Author and speaker H. Stephen Glenn has said,"In terms of... Read More
We function at our best when we are free from... Read More
"Do you want to be a lump of coal or... Read More
Stress Management |