“If you don’t know where you are going any road will get you there”
Lewis Carrol
I know I know…it has been almost a month! I feel so bad, but I have a good explanation. It wasn’t anything to do with you. It was all about me. It was about this summer becoming a huge alignment shift, one I could not postpone because living out of alignment is living in total unhappiness.
How did I know I needed a realignment? Here are some signs, maybe a few will resonate with you:
Lower motivation to do the things you know are good for you
Feeling tired
Lack of inspiration and creativity
Whatever plans you try to accomplish get blocked by all kinds of obstacles
Everything seems harder to do
A diminishing of your sense of joy
Just like a car out of alignment keeps steering you in the wrong direction making you work harder to stay on track, your life can be misaligned, or in other words, your “goals” are not deep and meaningful enough. These are the signs that told me that even though I was doing what I thought I should be doing, many things were not working anymore. I was not in alignment with my life purpose nor with my deeper values. So what did I do? The only thing I know that always works: Prayer, breath and meditation. I also did a lot of self study and worked with my teacher and business coach. I got really involved in a group setting with people that do what I do too. I’ve been looking for support, empathy and inspiration; and even thought this is a very mysterious process, I’m finally coming out of the old “returning” habit of struggling. I gave the self study and mindful work the time and space it needed. Because the summer tends to be a slower time for many, I recommend you do the same.
Do you feel tired and sleepy when you get up in the morning? This is because your mind is inundated with all of the day’s work and home-related pressure and stress. The majority of people face a lot of stress in their daily routine i.e. stressful job, a messy home life, kids crying for every little thing, habits like poor eating, the worry of health issues, negative people around you, people pleasing tendencies and more. Many times a source of the stress is that you are not aligned with that truly matters to you. In all the “doing” there is no meaning. No purpose.
Some people cope with these problems by drinking, TV watching, social media and overeating, all of them injurious to your health. If you don’t know how to manage a stressful life there are three simple steps to live your aligned and purposeful life without stress. These are some of the simple steps I followed.
One thing at a time: Your life will never be stress-free if you try to tackle too many things at one time. This is the sure way to a headache and an unhealthy level of stress. But the worst part is that it leads to an unhealthy and sad life. The easiest way to start decreasing your stress is to focus on the most important task and get it done. For example, If you want to cook your meals or finish a course, make sure you schedule time for the preparation tasks (material, ingredients, etc) , then schedule time for the actual activity, distancing yourself from distractions, mobile phones and other email notifications in order to focus on the task. You will finish your work more quickly and be able to move on to the next. Build up a healthy habit of being very clear about what is important to you too, otherwise you will not be able to complete this step. To me these are things like being of service to more people, having time for relationships, caring for my body and financial stability. If something is going to contribute to these items that I value, it gets put on top of the list and I try to do it with “laser focus”
Set your values: Make a list of your values and focus on those that lead you to a balanced and stress-free life. Your values must be written with care. For most of us these do not change with time. They are tied to what we consider the key to happiness and peace of mind. This list is your code of ethics and will educate the way you act at any given moment. Having clear values makes you a better decision maker and the stress of indecision goes away ( with the time waste of doing things you really don’t believe in). Spend time getting clear about your values as a top priority and learn to say “No” to those plans, offers and people that are not in alignment with your values. This is not to become a righteous person, that is the farthest thing to this…It is so you know what you stand for. From there, everything you do will resonate and when you do things they’ll feel simple, authentic and honest. You’d feel like a centered person, not like a hustler chasing money, praise, or things
Add presence to the day: Life is unpredictable so make your journey a beautiful one. Do something that encourages you to realign with the present moment each day. Whenever you feel down, or if you are thinking about the future too much, try to do something creative that involves your senses and makes you feel more present. You can take a nap, read a book, take a bath, call or meet a loved one, meditate, pray, practice yoga and breathing or go for a nature walk. Develop the habit of writing down an “presence inducing action” to do each day. Follow this action as a step in your journey at least once a day. To me this tends to be my Course in Miracles exercise, repeated at least twice a day. Doing this will help you to move even closer toward achieving your goal of a overwhelm free and healthy life. Think about it, if you do one activity every day, in one year you will take 360 steps that make your life more harmonious.
That’s some of what Ive been up to, and I was gone for a while because I wanted to give it my all. The journey is far from over, in just one day I will retreat to nature and spend time in some sites that are sacred to me. I am determined to be more in alignment so I can be of greater service to you, but also to be of more service to myself and my loved ones….so I ‘ll be gone again, but only for two weeks…and I take you in my heart and prayers so that you too may find a daily routine and a life that fits your deepest desires like a glove 🙂
In health and gratitude,
Maria
