Is it time?

Is it time?

Depending on where they are,

bears begin hibernating—

going inside, going within, resting deeply,

preparing for the next season by pausing—

around now.

We humans seem to defy nature’s rhythms

instead of use them to our benefit,

to our health,

as we make this season one of our busiest,

to add to our

already-busy lives.

What if…?

What if, this year, we slow things down

even by a nano-second

and pause to breathe and savor ourselves as we are

right here right now..

even busy!?

What if,

we choose to use winter’s gift of wintering—

After all, resting in the dark for a long moment

is preparation to renew,

re-invigorate,

rejoice even in the freshness of our self

in Spring?

What if

we set ourself up for a lightness of being THEN

by delving

into our deeper, truer self NOW?

I have a few ideas on how we might do this (as you might imagine!).

Here are parts of MY plan for November and December and even into part of January:

I do this so that when January and February come

(you know, the New Year’s intentions/resolutions, etc.),

I’ll be well-rested and

more inclined to EMBRACE rather than

reluctantly agree to, go along with, etc.

In no particular order, here’s what I am practicing beginning now:

• re-invent the flow of my day to include more time sitting in stillness.  I have drifted away from my 10-20 minute morning-sit-in-quiet, breathing.  I feel it in my lack of focus, in my impatience, in my anxiety level.

• commit to writing daily with a focus on one or more of these questions:

1.  How am I feeling—physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually?

2.  WHERE in the body am I feeling this?

3.  What one thing did I do today that was tenderly loving to myself?

4.  What one thing did I do today that scooted me in the direction I want to go?

5.  What one thing did I say or think today that demonstrated to me that I love me?

6.  What one thing did I choose today that showed me that I trust myself?

7.  Did I tell myself, “I love myself?”   Did I say it out loud?  Was I able to say it in the mirror?

• somewhere in my day, pause to breathe all the way out and then out some more before I breathe a slow, long, even, deep breath in

• plan at least one session before the year’s end with my Coach, so that when the new year begins, I am already grounded in what I want to do and how I want to be

• carve out time (even 5 minutes) every day to put my feet up somewhere, put a pillow under my head, snuggle in a blanket and breathe for those 5 minutes

• choose and register for one of the retreats that I’ve been entertaining.  I’m worth the commitment.

• drink more water than I’ve been drinking lately

We get so caught up in our plans and projects that we neglect our self.

Winter is a time for generous self-care.

It’s a time for spending time within your own self, playing with dreamy ideas, dancing with thoughts and curiosities, and being still, deeply still.

The deeply still part is so challenging and so, so critical to our health and well-being.

So…here’s a question:  How may I help you this season live with the more natural rhythms of life and nature?

We can’t do everything and we certainly can’t do it perfectly.

But we CAN commit to the little things, one at a time, one moment at a time.

How many I help YOU?!?  Please let me know.

Blessings,

Paula.