I am so excited to bring back Meditation Mondays and make it a regular feature along with Wellness Wednesdays and brand new for 2022, FAQ Fridays where I will share some tricks and hints to getting the very most out of your sessions! As I work to streamline my time management in the new year, you will see some new virtual options for self-care and healing, including the Living Within Your Soul Personal Wellness Program that is in the final stages of preparation and will tentatively be available in the spring.
Today in meditation, however that looks to you, I want to encourage you to offer yourself some grace and patience in your challenges.
If you are a regular client, you are likely aware of all of the big changes that happened in my life in 2021. From buying a house, to sending my youngest off to the Marine Corp; navigating empty nest syndrome, adopting a special need doggo, working on a bachelor's degree, moving my business, the loss of dear friends and loved ones, and all of the ins and outs of day-to-day life. Even as a professional with the plethora of the tools in my toolbox, I sometimes found myself floundering in my practice and getting overwhelmed which means I didn't always have the capacity to handle things the way I would prefer to. My house gets extra messy, tasks fall to the wayside, I struggled with my own self-care, and I got behind on things.
I share this with my clients, and with you because I feel like it's important to know that we as healers are human as well. We don't always have it all together and we certainly aren't perfect, and it is important for you to know that.
Sometimes we can find ourselves frustrated that we are not handling our challenges as well as we think we should or as well as we think other people are. However, what we need to remember, is that we are still human and being human inherently holds imperfections and that is ok. We are not where we were and when we know better, we can do better. Those are very cliched buzzwords, but they are so very true. I recently took a tech free vacation day and utilized it to do some deep cleaning in what I like to call my "depressy messy" home. As I was finally putting the clean sheets on my bed that had been sitting in the rocking chair for more than a week, I caught myself being pretty tough on me for letting it "get so bad". I'm blessed that I was able to step back and walk away from that self-deprivation ledge. I thanked my body for giving me energy to clean that day. I gave myself grace for getting through some pretty challenging and emotionally taxing events. I was able to be patient with myself and take care of the areas in most need of attention.
What areas of your life can you give yourself grace? Are you overworking yourself and letting some things slide? Have you been short on spoons and not been active in relationships? Do you put yourself at the bottom of your care list while you make sure others around you are taken care of? How can I help you live your best life and move through those situations?
When that gnarly little mouth in the back of our brains starts talking smack, ask yourself if those are things you would say to someone you love. Probably not, right? If our loved ones are struggling, I don't suppose most of us would say "Ugg, you suck. Why can't you just get it together?" Or at least I hope we wouldn't. So why do we deserve any less ourselves? The answer is, we don't. It's ok if we aren't killing it one hundred percent of the time, but we can still be kind to our beings.
Give yourself grace. Take five minutes (meditation does not need to be extended to help!). Focus on your breathing and think of five positive things you are doing in your life. Some days that will be very simple things (today, I unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, my least favorite task). Instead of a To-Do list, sit down at the end of the day and write a Have-Done list to see all that you accomplished rather than focusing on what didn't get done. Spoiler, sometimes its ok if that list only includes movies and snacks!
Be patient with you. If you are able to recognize that you need to be kinder to yourself, you are already ahead. We are not perfect, and we are not meant to be perfect. Take those moments and learn and grow. Thank your body for moving, your lungs for breathing, the universe for giving you another day.
Remember, you are worthy and deserving of the same love and patience you give to others.
Be well, and please drink your water ;)
Namaste friends,
Chrys Whitmarsh, LMT, RM
I love the idea of a "have done list!" I actually often add things to my to do list that I already accomplished that day to remind myself I'm already making progress.