The Wellness Within
Armed with goodwill and a natural drive to put our best foot forward, we awaken with the strength and intelligence of an everyday super hero until the frustrations of the day weigh us down.
As we face our day it’s normal to become angry, anxious or annoyed; especially when we find people’s behaviors, views or information disturbing to us. As energy fades, the super hero starts to feel like a super zero.
But, imagine if the very things that disturb us could give us energy? What if they could help expand our awareness, clear our minds and empower us?
Emotion is power. Reaction is an explosion of unguided power that can hijack our intentions. If negative it often leads to harsh words, regrettable actions and missed opportunities. We cannot control the person or thing that elicits the emotion but we can develop an ability to capture that energy and deliver an inspired response.
Today, when you are emotionally disturbed you can find stability if you Pause & Get Calm. By pausing I mean stop. Take a moment. Take a controlled breath.
Conscious breathing steadies the emotion and strips it of any ‘strike back’ thoughts that trigger negative reactions. You’ll catch yourself before you fall… and not falling is akin to flying.
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Using our breathing is the best choice because it’s always available, so we won’t build a dependency on something outside ourselves to find peace in the present moment. When calm our heads clear, constructive options arise and we can choose a wellness response.
Try It Right Now. Pause & get calm by moving your awareness to your breathing. Take a slow, controlled breath. Pay attention to it. As you exhale, notice and feel a sense of ease coming over you. It’s a mild state of euphoria. A heightened awareness.
Ah, awareness… peaceful, powerful, intelligent awareness. You know it as the calm inner presence that has been with us, as us, since we were children. It’s where our logic, reason and intuition combine. From this response position we know just what to say and do. We can be authentic without fighting, conforming or becoming dependent on anyone else for answers. We argue less, are more even tempered and can say yes or no without feeling emotionally pressured.
As we pause & get calm remarkable things begin to happen.
Everything Becomes Helpful. Suddenly, the very things that disturb you now help you access energy and awareness. You’ll develop an otherworldly ease. What was against you is now for you. Fear and opposition will vanish or recede.
A New Reaction. Practice makes perfect. Disturbing things are frequent so you’ll have plenty of chances to practice pausing & getting calm. Share your experience with others and your understanding will deepen. It will become more automatic. We embody what we think about, practice and describe with interest.
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Energy Banking. Since you aren’t spending emotional income on reactive retaliation, you bank it and develop a powerful reserve. This all happens naturally. You’ll know it as you feel it- it’s that tingle down your spine. You will tire less and have more energy to spend on the things that matter to you most.
An Everyday Super Hero. As your sense of wellness deepens and expands a quiet confidence and courage befriends you. Your thinking will be brighter. Your imagination, constructive. You will become more aware of being aware and better positioned to embrace and achieve all that your life has to offer.
Again, when aggravated or doubtful simply Pause & Get Calm, take a moment, take a breath. Before long it becomes a prescription for peace.
Extra Boost
Want to supercharge this practice? Why wait for disturbances. Write “Pause & Breathe” on 10 sticky notes. Spread them out along the timeline of your day- bathroom mirror, coffee maker, fridge, dashboard and so on. When you see one, do it and feel it. Get the whole family involved! Questions or comments? Email practice@teachselfawareness.com
Delaware park Living resident Brian Nesline is a New York State Certified Addictions Recovery Coach, Graphic Designer, Artist and Author of Identity Repositioning™ – a free course to help teach self-awareness. For more information visit www.teachselfawareness.com