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By Cheryl Bakke Martin of Inspirations Studio I recognize the need for slowing down and finding regular quiet time to renew myself, but I still have difficulty making the commitment. Can you give me some ideas to stay motivated and dedicate time just for ME? Committing to something new that is not yet a part of our regular routine is a challenge in part because of our schedules, but mostly because our brains operate in a way that sustains familiar patterns. Self-awareness is required to consciously interrupt old patterns in the moment and intentionally choose new ones. This is an ongoing exercise that gets easier with practice. Elisabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, stated it beautifully and succinctly: “I have learned I am my best self when I have less on my plate.” Start small. Let go of time on the computer or with the TV, and work up to bigger challenges like chairing committees. Involvement is good, but we don’t have to “run” everything. Allow others to step up to the plate and they will. Barring that, there are innate rhythms in our day - times when it is naturally quiet. Most often this is early morning before others awake or at the end of the day before retiring. For some, the lunch hour offers time to shut the door and escape into your own zone. For me, this involves getting up early with my husband at 5:00 am as he prepares for work. When he leaves, I have an hour before I need to get ready for my day. This works for me because any discipline I require to haul myself out of bed is built in...the struggle is dissipated. What time of day invites you to hide yourself away for a few moments? What you choose to do with that time needs to be an absolute joy so that you just can’t wait to get there. I’m all about fun, and I’m not so good with things being the same every day - I thrive on variety. So in my case, my mornings are slightly different each day. Sometimes I meditate, sometimes I read, sometimes I journal, and often I draw. Each moment I allow Spirit to move me to choose what activity feels most grounding and fun. Being present in joy is the ultimate purpose. When and what you choose to do is personal, but the commitment to it will be simpler if you can easily be completely present and absorbed in the joy of your activity. It changes your physical health, your mood, your sleep patterns, your ability to focus, and it also affects the energy you share with the world. Experiencing these benefits a few times may be enough to get you and your pattern-seeking brain hooked on a new, very good thing. For more advice, contact Cheryl Bakke Martin, mother of 2 boys, consultant, facilitator, artist & owner of Inspirations Studio at 403.542.6241 www.inspirations-unlimited.net |
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