Trust yourself. There is a lot going on in the world right now causing confusion and negativity. Focusing on that energises it but also draws out your own feelings of confusion and negativity. These feelings have no place in you. They do not reflect your true self.
Your true self is at peace with all externalities because in that peace there is a knowing that, ultimately, everything is okay. The chaos around us does not reflect the truth of who we are.
We are all more than responders to what is going on around us: we are initiators, changemakers, shapeshifters, creators. Spend time in reflecting on what you would deliberately and intentionally like to create: is it a more harmonious home, a small vegetable garden, a new or improved relationship, an exercise regime, give up an addition. Or do you simply want to be more relaxed, have more fun, find some time for a hobby.
Choose one thing that you deliberately want to create and find 5 minutes to vision your creation. Picture it in your mind, draw it, write about it … what does it look like, how does it make you feel, what is it like to have this in your experience?
And then trust yourself. Those ideas that sneak into your mind quietly, follow them. Rearrange the furniture, clean that cupboard, write that note to a friend. All of these small messages have cumulative effect in honing your intuition and drawing you closer to your full self, capable of creating what feels good to you.
That is the metric with which to assess your growth: do you feel good? That is the metric to assess how you spend your time: does it feel good? If it doesn’t, what can you change? Not everything can necessarily change instantly and if that is the case, we can practice gratitude. We can acknowledge that this experience (job, relationship, incident, place) has helped us to know what doesn’t feel good, and to turn our minds to choosing something that does feel good. This experience propels us to form in our minds a vision for something different.
Those things that we can change, like turning off the television, can feel like the creation of a big, empty, silent space. And this can be confronting. You could find yourself wandering around aimlessly. That might be okay, it might be what you need. Or you may want to plan and very deliberate about what you will do in that space. If TV was your relaxant, find another healthy, positive relaxant to replace it with; card games, jigsaw puzzles whilst listening to music, crocheting, walking, working on an enjoyable project.
If you’re reading newspapers, listening to the radio, watching the news … try to reduce the amount of time you are doing this. Start with short spaces if it’s difficult for you. In this space that you have created by turning off or away, help to realise your vision by choosing an affirmation (all is well), select a gratitude or guidance card, search for a 5 minute guided meditation, put together a feel good/soul music playlist, stretch, dance or yoga to your playlist.
What you are aiming to do is to go within and find your peace. If it feels calamitous within as well, that’s ok. That will pass quickly with regular and daily internal reflection.
Apply some discipline to the reflection – focus on breathing, your affirmation or the gratitude or guidance words, rather than the ever-pressing thoughts. Aim for 5 minutes for a start and build.
Every step away from the cacophony of the outside world leads to attuning with yourself. It doesn’t have to be a “spiritual” practice, just a coming home to yourself. Without the noise of the outside, you can start to hear the peace of the inside.
This is an important practice for any time, whether we’re in a pandemic or not. Coming home to ourselves is a necessary step in finding balance and realising our true selves.
You’ve started today in taking the time to read this. Continue in this way. In love and trust.