We bring who we are to what we do. When we bring the best of who we are, we do great things. We work from the inside out -- we know ourselves, we have rich internal resources, we come from an authentic place and we are connected to what we do in a passionate and engaged manner.
But when we run around doing and doing, and only focus on the outside, we lose the connection with ourselves, we start to run on empty, to burn out and to have the life sucked out of us. We lose our footing and things start to run amok.
Connecting to ourselves is the antithesis of selfishness. It is self-care which helps fill our bucket, and we therefore have that much more of ourselves to give. Being in touch with ourselves helps us live our lives with balance, focus and clarity. It helps build our resiliency muscles, for tough times when we need to call upon our strong biceps to carry our heavy weight of pain. Self-care is great for the present and is (some) insurance for the future.
So how do we set our stage so we can get out there and perform our best? How can we start our day in preparation for "doing?" By going inward, we prepare ourselves for our outward tasks. There are many variations of routines that can gently guide us into our busy day.
Here are some basics to get started:
1. Deep, slow breathing. Great for calming down and getting centered.
2. Meditation. Just a few minutes of silently sitting and letting all thoughts just float by. Notice and let them go. Saying a word or phrase can keep you focused on your breath. Great for quieting our monkey minds and disconnecting from all outside stimuli. After a while, you may even look forward to this time of sheer mindful quietude.
3. Gratitude expression. Placing your hand over your heart, bring up a few things you feel grateful for. Feel the heartfelt feelings.
4. Read a meaningful excerpt.
5. Engage your senses. It could be with a scent you like, a piece of music that moves you, or anything that speaks to you and makes you feel good.
6. Journal. Even a few minutes brings out what's inside us.
7. Visualize your best self. Visualize what you enjoy, what you're good at and the goodness you can bring to others.
8. Prepare. Just as we prepare ourselves externally, by showering and brushing our teeth before we go out, we need to take some time preparing ourselves internally -- our minds, souls and spirits need tending to as well. For that is where our seeds of greatness lie.
For more by Harriet Cabelly, click here.
For more on happiness, click here.