Week #7: Find Balance, Reclaim Joy
This week’s mindfulness practice is about reclaiming our joy and finding balance between the stressors in life — the activities that deplete our energy, creativity and enthusiasm — and those that nourish and renew our mind, body, and spirit!
In the face of mounting responsibilities and piles of work, our first line of attack is too often to cut back on the pleasurable or healthful activities that nourish us and double down on the tasks that deplete us. We may be able to “find” extra minutes or hours for the work to be done by eliminating our yoga practice or morning jog, but if our health and happiness suffer as a result, we approach those tasks with less energy, enthusiasm, and creativity.
This week you are asked to take an audit of your current level of balance. Start by making a list of all of your typical daily activities. Then go through your list item by item and think about whether they are nourishing or depleting to the mind, body, and soul and label them respectively, “N” or “D.” Then make an honest assessment of the balance between the two and the impact of that balance — or lack thereof — on your mood and energy level. Next, make a list of five nourishing activities you can incorporate into your day to bring about more balance. These don’t need to be big things. Small rituals or nourishing little nibbles of time can make a powerful cumulative impact.
Some examples:
-Take a coffee break every two hours
-Flip through a magazine during lunch
-Take a walk after dinner
-Involve the entire family in meal prep
-Organize one drawer or clutter spot in your home or office
Williams & Penman (2011) suggest that we approach all activities mindfully — the nourishing and the depleting. We can’t always eliminate the depleting activities, but if we can approach those activities with intent and focus and respect the value of those activities, we can reduce their negative impact.
This Week’s Exercises
#1 Your Choice Meditations, Pick 2!
There are no new meditations this week. You are to pick two previous meditations — one that you felt was nourishing and one that didn’t quite resonate with you the first time around. Spend 20-30 minutes on these two meditations either in sequence or at separate times during the day, six out of seven days this week.
#2 Breathing Space Meditation
Do this twice a day or whenever you feel stressed and overwhelmed. This time, however, follow the meditation with one of three courses of action intended to nourish and renew:
Do something pleasurable
-Take a walk, garden, bake a cake, call a friend, etc.
Do something that gives you a feeling of satisfaction and mastery
-Pay a bill, organize a clutter spot, clean a room
Continue acting mindfully
-Whatever it is that you need to do or continue doing, do it with focus. Bring all of your five senses to bear on the task at hand.
Link to meditations: http://bit.ly/rodalemindfulness
That’s it for this week! One more week to go!!!
Until the next post, enjoy the Now!
Jennifer