I was exhausted at the beginning of the summer. After multiple deadlines and the completion of different projects I felt tired, unfocused, depleted.
How do we return to our best selves when exhaustion settles in? Who are the friends that make you feel alive again? What are the stories that inspire you? How do you reclaim your passion and joy before you can pass it forward to others?
After a few days of being open to those questions, I was struck by the realization that we are never separate. A life given to others, planted like a seed of love and compassion, requires also to be nurtured, requires to reconnect with the activities and the creativity that empowers you, that gives you back your passion, joy and hope. In fact, the stories and people, friends and community, that give you joy and hope, live through us. Who are those people and the stories that breathe life into you? Try this meditation:
1. Take a few minutes and bring the awareness to your breathing. Acknowledge the emotions of this moment, paying attention to the people and communities that trigger positive emotions.
2. During your mindful breathing, acknowledge the situations that bring you back to your original nature, to peace and joy.
3. Slowly reclaim the joy that comes by embracing the people, the thoughts and situations that empower you and help you to be in the present moment.
4. End by writing a list of positive and nurturing thoughts, people and situations that help you to reclaim your joy. Envision those nurturing outlets as a solution you might reach out to moment by moment in your daily life.
Juan