The days are getting shorter, and the workload is NOT! Stresses and strains find their way into the cracks and crevices of our minds, draining our energy and pressing in from all sides. Ever wonder what you can do to find balance and catch your breath? Here are five things you can try right NOW:
- Remember presence over balance. There are seasons in life when the things that demand our attention far outstretch the blocks on the calendar for the day. Pressing need and our dwindling resources simply will not balance every day.
When there seems to be more day than there is you, practice presence. Presence is the gentle art of tuning in to the one thing that is needed in that moment.
Choose one thing for fifteen minutes and gift it with your full attention. Enjoy the singularity of focus and the power of your attentive presence on that ONE thing! Wash rinse and repeat (move to the next one thing as needed!).
“But only one thing is needed.” Luke 10:42
- Breathe! That’s it. Pure and simple. Close your eyes. Place one hand on your chest and one over your belly. Notice your breath coming in through your nose, filling your lungs, expanding your abdomen. Release the breath, gently blowing out. Feel the tension drain from your neck and shoulders. Repeat!
“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two breaths.”
Etty Hilllesum (Holocaust survivor)
An Interrupted Life: The Diaries 1941-1943, 1983
- Move It! Take five (or maybe ten). Turn your alerts off. Walk away from email. Step outside and start walking. Set a timer and walk in one direction for five minutes. When the timer goes off, turn and walk back to your starting spot.
According to health psychologists, just ten minutes of gentle movement will increase levels of dopamine and build dopamine receptors in your brain. These real chemical changes in the brain increase your capacity to experience joy and decrease depression and anxiety (even on the most hectic days!).
- Cultivate gratitude. When your tank is running on empty, cultivate gratitude to refuel. Bring to mind three things you are grateful for. Recall each small thing, savor the memory of the thing you are grateful for and notice the shift in your body and your mind. While not a magic bullet for daily stresses, cultivating gratitude grows your capacity to see the good around you, refueling your tank for dealing with each thing that comes your way.
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough.” Melody Beattie
- Stop five minutes early. Whatever it is that needs YOU now, bring it to a close five minutes earlier than planned. It may mean leaving one thing undone or handing off to someone else. Be ok with that. Trust that what you have given is enough.
“Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is a nobler art of leaving things undone.” – Lin Yutang
- You are not alone. Whatever this day brings, you do not have to face it alone.
Here at Refuge, we are committed to being with you in seasons of stress and strain. When life seems out of balance and you can’t find your footing, we offer a place of quiet strength and calm where you can reset and refuel. Make an appointment today by calling 615-591-5262.
