Emotional Exercise Is Key To Living Gratefully
My life is too fast. I talk too fast. I move too fast. I eat too fast. I exercise too fast. I play with my daughter too fast. I kiss my husband too fast. I greet colleagues and friends with swiftness and motion. I make decisions quickly. I read and respond to email at the speed of light. My days are full of GO, GO, GO. To do otherwise is a waste of time, right? I drive 7-10 miles over the speed limit. ALWAYS. I even read fast. I type fast. I cook fast. I shower fast. I brush my teeth fast. Hell, I even have sex fast. It’s all too fast. I’m always in motion. It’s exhausting.
I had a call on Tuesday with one of my coaches (yes, I have several). During these coaching sessions, he listens to one of my pre-recorded calls with a client and then gives me feedback on my coaching effectiveness. His big comment this week: I need to SLOW it down and just “be” more when I’m coaching. Funny, my mom says the same thing—only she applies that sentiment to my entire life. I have a really, really hard time with just “being.” There’s always so much to do, so much to see, so much to experience….I just wanna fly at the speed of light and do it ALL, or at least that’s what I think I want. So I’ve consciously been trying to SLOW IT DOWN this week, especially in my interaction with my clients…and with my daughter…and with my friends…and my husband…and my life.
So, I’ve spent my week practicing just BEING. What has practicing BEING brought me? Calm. A sense of weightlessness. My shoulders are less knotted up. I breathe from my belly. Puts me in a better place mentally and emotionally. Makes me simply STOP. STOP. STOP. Look around. What’s that sound? Feel the rush of air around me…enjoy snuggling with my four year old on the couch reading a Highlights magazine because someday she’ll be 14 and want nothing to do with me…sink into my pillow and feel my body melt into the mattress as I delve into a novel…kiss my dog and love that her 11 year old stinky breath is still warm and loving on my face…feel the deep and relaxing penetration of my husband’s touch as he massages my neck and shoulders after a long, long day. It brings me to a place of consciousness and sincere gratitude—where I feel the range of emotion that is my life, and I am given the space to process my innermost feelings to the depth of my soul. It makes me grateful for all I have and am, which is fitting, given the Thanksgiving holiday that beckons.
So how do we do this? How do we emotionally exercise? Here’s one clue: I received this in an email several days ago. It’s from an organization called Frame of Mind Coaching.
I’ve worked with them in the past and have gained much insight about myself from my experience with them. I believe if we take the following to heart and really let this sentiment outlined below sink in, we can get one step closer toward learning HOW to be thankful for all that we have in our rich, textured, luscious, and full lives! Check it out, do this exercise, and see what happens. Too often we ignore the emotion and feeling behind our everyday existence. We elevate masculinity, logic, science, and linear thinking to such a high platform that we forget the other side, which is the feminine, powerful, intuitive, creative, and heartfelt side of ourselves that has so much intelligence, wisdom, and learning to offer. We’ll spend weeks at the gym to get our bodies in shape, but we refuse to spend the same amount of time and money on our minds. So try this out and see what kind of magic bubbles up for you. Thanks.
Your life is composed of moments, each one filled with endless possibilities. Your job is to pay attention to the magic of a notable moment and identify the elements that make it valuable for you.
Each day this week, think about the moment that was most meaningful for you, write about it and describe how you felt, what you saw, and how you experienced it. Your moments you choose can be as small as noticing a flower budding and as big as receiving a marriage proposal. The moment in and of itself is not so important, but rather the feeling that it elicits.
HA! You are talking to the girl that has been to Austin two days this week, spent 14 hours either flying or in an airplane and still managed to eek out 6 appts TODAY. Came home and had zero food in the fridge so I ate a pear for dinner. Your blog struck a cord. I think it’s time to s-l-o-w down and smell the roses, enjoy the moment.
One of the best things I have started to do is write in my gratitude journal. I have it pop up on my calendar at 7 AM so I don’t forget to slow down at some point in the day and be thankful. Typically, I end my day thinking of what I didn’t get done. That is when I remember to be grateful so that I can wrap up my day in the right place… gratitude.
Chariti – this is such an important message. I didn’t know you were a writer. : ) You have a gift.
Was thinking this afternoon of all the great Realtors I work with, working sooo hard trying to do sooo much in a situation that is sooo stressful. First we need to focus on the energy in our gut. First we need to be human beings not human doings. Then we would know what to do that would be most effective. What 5 phone calls to make, which 5 notes to write, which 5 pieces of paperwork to handle and get more results.