We won’t go into details, but we are fairly certain everyone knows what we mean when we say that our world is an uncertain place right now.
Though it would be incredibly easy to get sucked into the turmoil around us, authors and artists need to take extra care to stay focused and centered and not let distractions derail them from offering their gifts to their customers. Here are seven
easy ways to stay present, centered and on the path to wellbeing:
7 easy ways to stay present, centered and on the path to wellbeing
Movement: Movement in the form of exercise keeps minds and bodies fresh. There is much we cannot control in the world, but we can control how we react to it. By nurturing our bodies through movement and exercise, artists can strengthen themselves for the times when the ill winds blow, and things get dicey. A massage therapist friend shared that, by keeping in shape and exercising regularly, she was able to “bend like a reed in the wind” and bounce back quickly when tumultuous times came her way.
Understand change will happen: If evolution is inevitable it is better to go-with-the-flow rather than staying stuck and resisting it. It’s important to remember that although we may not know what is to come, we can be comforted by the good that is already in our lives and the support of friends and family.
Ask for help: If your current situation has you heading into a state of overwhelming, ask for support and assistance from loved ones. So many creatives are “givers,” but not so good at receiving and asking for help when stressed. Instead, we isolate from our friends and loved ones and try to “fix it ourselves” (sound familiar?). During significant life, changes dare to ask for support, help, guidance, or whatever it is you need to help the shift flow best.
Read Things Positive and Uplifting: Ever heard the old saying, \”Garbage in, garbage out\”? What we fill our brains with will sometimes also dictate our moods and outlook on life. Everyone loves a great escapism fiction book now and again, but it\’s also important feed our brains with quality non-fiction that nurtures our wellbeing. Books from thought leaders like Brene Brown, Anne Lamont, Elizabeth Gilbert and my personal favorite: Evans Bowen, are exceptional books that help to take us to a \”happy place\” within the pages of a book.
Celebrate change: Not all change is bad! And even if a change has thrown your life a curve-ball, after the smoke has cleared and you have successfully moved through your necessary changes…CELEBRATE! Whatever the situation may be find the joy in what has just happened. Maybe the change is a new home, a change of relationship, transitioning from a job or career. Adding joy and laughter to whatever shift you’re facing will aid in dissolving much of the left-over negative feelings.
Stay Organized: When things get hectic, and there are a lot of moving parts in your life and business, endeavor to stay organized by creating a checklist or To Do lists. Take 5-10 minutes every day to write down all the tasks that need to be addressed. When your mind is feeling cramped and is trying to process 50 things at once, your overall effectiveness goes right down the tubes. But by writing it all down, you’ll be able to the MITs (Most Important Tasks) to complete. Once those are scratched off the list, pick a few more MITs until the list doesn’t seem so overwhelming anymore. When life and business are on the brink of chaos, it’s empowering to know where you stand.
Practice the “3 D’s”: After taking the appropriate steps to write a check-list, it’s time to implement the “3 Ds.” The first “D” is “do” which is exactly what you are doing by identifying your MITs. The next “D” is “delegate.” What on your checklist can be delegated to someone else? If there are tasks that are better done by others, don’t hesitate to ask. Sometimes when the little tasks are out of the way, the more difficult ones don’t seem as daunting. The last “D” is “drop.” Sometimes tasks are more significant and more important in our minds than they are in reality. If you are feeling buried under a monstrous To Do List, look at some of the items on the list and ask some hard questions. Do you need to do them NOW? Do you need to do them at all?
Prioritize and strategize: Prioritize and strategize your time and master the art of delegation and dropping. If there are tasks that are better done by others, don’t hesitate to ask. Sometimes when the little tasks are out of the way, the more difficult ones don’t seem as daunting.
Don’t forget self-care: Our body’s autonomic nervous system is always responding to triggers whether you are paying attention to it or not. Be kind to yourself and plan a routine of self-care (especially while in transition). Book a massage, continue eating healthy whole foods and maintain your REM sleep pattern is excellent examples of self-care.
Does your heart long to roam? Find new adventures? Maybe even go on a Pilgrimage?
Evans Bowen\’s new book, Pilgrimage: A Modern Seeker\’s Guide, speaks to those who crave spiritual travel and soul-seeking adventures.
“A pilgrimage creates a sacred space where your physical body and heart can meet and meld into one. As the sacred space opens more light shines in and new vistas, ideas, languages, and experiences bring you to a new place in your life you could never imagine before.”
A tradition of all religions, Pilgrimage is a journey to sacred sites as an act of devotion and dedication. It is time to expand the definition of Pilgrimage to inform modern life. Taking time to visit a place near home or around the globe, to open the mind and heart to the Divine, brings healing and new meaning to life. Pilgrimage is both an external journey to a place longed for and an internal journey to the center of our most authentic self.
Each part of the journey, from the first desire to visit a holy place, to the return home to integrate the experience, becomes the pilgrimage to expand our world, both body and soul. Combining practical steps for the physical journey and 40 days of inspiration for the spirit, this guidebook gives this time-honored journey to the Divine to inform the whole person in our increasingly fragmented world.
Click here to view deeper details on this beautiful new book.
