Resting, Reflecting, and Reawakening
We had good friends over for dinner a couple of weeks ago that we hadn’t spent any quality time with in several years. It was so good to catch up, enjoy memories, and find out what was new! One question I was asked was “what’s the most significant thing going on in your spiritual life?” Not exactly the kind of question with a ready-made answer, and I took awhile to form my thoughts (and even longer to share them). Don’t you find that digging for answers or sharing a single memory can touch off a landslide of thoughts, feelings, and remembrances? It certainly does for me, and in answering my friend’s question I found the thoughts coming faster than I could convey. My final answer? I realized that walking away from a group that was acting selfishly and bitterly does absolutely nothing for me if I’m acting selfish and bitter myself. Rather simple point, but a profound one for me.
We’ve just passed Thanksgiving here in the U.S., and are coming up rapidly on the end of another year. What’s the most significant event of your year? Biggest accomplishment? Strongest regret? Greatest joy? Take some time during the holidays and allow yourself to reflect, enjoy, share, and let go if you need to. Ask the big questions sometimes, and take time to listen to the answers. I hope to do some digging later this month as I get to visit my 86-year-old grandmother again for the weekend (#8 on my top-10 list for the year), and see what nuggets she has to share. Take time for yourself and your family, and choose the truly important things to spend your time on. I overdid the kitchen-time this Thanksgiving, and wished I'd spent less time on the perfect pie and more time on the couch with my son.
Looking back on a year of Shaking the Grapevine newsletters, I offer you five grapes from my coaching vine ... enjoy, and live life to the fullest, whatever you meet in the last few weeks of the year!
1. Count your blessings and set your goals ... do both, and write them down. Compare life with the list, and see where you’ve grown!
2.Rest Completely ... refresh your body, rest your soul, refresh your spirit: all three are critical for true rest.
3. Handle Emotions with the Three R’s ... Release, React, and Respond, and use them wisely.
4. Follow your Intuition ... Blink. Stop. Close down. Reopen, refreshed. You already know the answer.
5. Take Alone Time ... Your time ... Make it, take it, and sometimes take it all the way to extreme solitude. It’s necessary for your health and sanity!
I'd love to hear from you if you're willing to share your wins, epiphanies, or tragedies ... whatever looms large when you look in your rear-view mirror.