A friend and colleague recently mentioned to me that she was feeling the need to be more connected to something spiritually. I immediately understood where she was coming from because her work is all consuming; endless back to back meetings that leave a residual exhaustion, a husband working out of town, and just the daily grind of kids' schedules and running a household. How do you balance all of these demanding responsibilities and still manage to feel like you are restoring your soul? It's really, really tough to accomplish that. If you find yourself wondering how to put more meaning into each day, or how to get a little more balance in your life, these strategies are proven to work. I hope you find a few that are a great match for whatever space your spirit is in right now.
Make the Moment Spiritual on Purpose
You don't have to wait for a spiritual moment to come to you. In fact, it's a wonderful practice to begin being the one who makes the moments. In other words, if you are at yet another meeting, or telling your kids one more time, or are doing the pile of daily dishes, you can make that moment into...something more. The way to do this is through understanding that you are a modality through which God can impact others; another way is through gratitude. If you shift your perspective into how you can positively impact others, or simply being grateful that you are able to do something, suddenly more meaning will become present in your daily tasks. Even in those unappealing tasks.
I have begun doing this everywhere, even at intersections while I'm driving. No one ever knows when to go, and it really used to irritate me. So I finally shifted my perspective and now I wave people on to go and I do it with a smile. Why make someone who is clearly distracted or struggling have an even worse day by honking or shaking my head? I am also benefitting as a side effect because now I am driving away feeling kind and helpful instead of disgusted.
And at meetings, I now focus on really hearing where the other people are coming from, or expressing what I appreciate about them. It doesn't mean I always agree, but it has changed my interactions in a positive way. I keep in mind that I might be the only good thing to happen in someone's day, and putting more meaning into those interactions has helped me to feel more empowered to get the most out of each and every day.
Set Healthy Reminders
I vividly remember the 8-5 grind. It would be so busy that we would forget to eat, forget to get up and stretch, even forget to go use the restroom. I finally put reminders on my work calendar to eat a snack and get water every day at 10 a.m. I would put on rainfall sounds at my desk and it would remind me to look out the window and take a few deep breaths. If you are feeling overwhelmed it is important to note that you can do little things that add up to big impacts thoughout your day. Taking care to eat, hydrate, and get in a quiet walk are very restorative. Take in the sounds, or the feel of the wind to help you be present in that moment. Remind yourself to do it several times during your day. You can also put up a photo or a sign that reminds you what you are working toward or to take a moment to yourself.
“We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to do’ list.” —Michelle Obama
Another way to do this is to begin a good habit at the same time each day. This type of schedule makes it easier for us to remember to do it. I now start each day with a prayer of gratitude, with thanks for the blessings that I will receive that day. I open myself up to those gifts, and I get my mind into the right perspective to also be the gifts for others. I can't tell you how much this one process has changed my life. My interactions with the kids are less frustrating, I find the positive and learning moments in the day instead of focusing on my frustrations. I promise you, this will change your life in ways you can't imagine.
Time and Energy are Commodities--Spend Them Wisely
When you begin to view your time and your energy as you would a bank account which will eventually run out of money, you look differently at what you spend it on. A near death experience is great for this, but I hope you don't have to face that any time soon. What I do hope is that you begin to see that where your energies go can be better managed. You get to choose some of the things that you give power to in your life. Dwelling on someone negative is a great example of wasted energy, yet we all do it. Begin to get really careful and examine what is worth your precious life source. I guarantee that there are things you will begin to see as not worth trading your sanity for. I also encourage you to move through each day, each interaction, with as much grace toward others as you can muster. We are all living on borrowed time, and you will feel a lot better putting more meaning into your days on purpose. It can be as simple as shifting your perspective into one of gratitude. And ask yourself every day, what is one thing I can do today to work toward the life I want to have?
Please share your ideas and experiences on how to put more meaning into each day. We are all here to learn from one another.
Love,
Dax
Comments