What Are Your Creating?
December 2009
Stories
Whether it's Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or another holiday, it is supposed to be a magical time of year. For some it is. For others, the perceived obligations of the season create additional stress and distort our thinking. Here are just some of the ways I hear people describing this time of the year; "crazy busy" - "hectic" - "I'm behind" - "I leave everything to the last minute" - "If only I were more productive" - "I don't have time" - "I always eat and drink too much." Is this really what you want to create?
What stories do you hear yourself saying that let you off the hook or leave you feeling overwhelmed, behind and not good enough? For me it's: "Why do I have to do all this myself?" - "Why can't anyone help me?" - "I have so much to do." - "I've gotta write that newsletter and I have nothing to say." These thoughts lead to stress, tension and feeling stuck as if we have no choice. Mental self-indulgence is the enemy of happiness. When you continually repeat negative thought patterns you create your own stress and miss out on the goodness of the present moment. It's exhausting and draining to let our thoughts drag us down. These "stories" can be changed! The subconscious mind hears everything and reflects it back to us by setting us up to fulfill our expectations. Joke about how no one likes you and pretty soon they probably won't. Affirm that you're in your power and pretty soon you will be. We achieve so much more when we have disciplined minds. Training our minds is as important to our health as training our bodies.
Intentions
What do you want to create this season? To be "busy, overwhelmed, in a rush and stressed?" I doubt it. Catch yourself when you wander into this type of thinking. Just as an audio tape can be erased by taping something else over it, we can begin to program our minds with new thoughts that counter the old ones. Try some of these multiple times a day:
- I am calm and relaxed
- I have all the time I need to get things done
- I will have fun with whomever I interact today
- It's ok to take time for myself to plan, think, exercise and pray/meditate
- I am so lucky to be alive
- I am thankful for so much abundance in my life
- What a beautiful day
- I love this time of year. I love giving and feeling the magic of the season
When you are at your best, despite what's happening around you, who are you? Are you engaged, present, enjoying yourself and kind? Who ever you are at your best, start each day for five minutes naming your intentions for the day through prayer, meditation or journaling. The mind is it's most receptive when you first awaken. In only a short time, you can find more ease and satisfaction in your everyday moments as you rewrite your old stories with a new mindset.
Last week I turned to prayer and listening to guided meditations, after being hard on myself for overeating around the Thanksgiving holiday. It was a "reset button" that helped me refocus and reestablish a healthy eating routine and spiritual self-care. When I do, I feel my best and am in a better position to be of service to others.
Gratitude
For what are you thankful? Name three things right now. For me, I'm healthy and strong and happily did a long run today. I have a loving and supportive spouse and a warm, cozy house. Phew, that worked. For a moment I forgot how hard it is to write a newsletter and stopped questioning if anyone reads them anyway. We can always access gratitude no matter how stressful our circumstances may feel. When you are feeling uptight from overwhelm, pause and take a deep breath and remind yourself, "I am lucky. I'm so thankful for....." There's nothing like the attitude of gratitude to help rewire your brain for more positive thinking and reframe the circumstances of your life to one of appreciation.
Food for Thought:
- "To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him." - Buddah
- "If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you" that would suffice." - Meister Eckhart
- "Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful." - Buddah
Contact Andrea to see how coaching can help you examine your stories, set some new intentions and practice new habits (with gratitude!) to help you feel more satisfied and content. See how others have made Coaching work for them. Call to schedule a complimentary 30-minute sample coaching session. (847) 971-3643 or email: andrea@hgcoaching.com
