What are the day to day, moment by moment, activities that are keeping you centered? It is so easy to feel overwhelmed by external circumstances, compounded by the pressure you may feel from your work and home life. It is easy to fall into a rut of mindless repetition or into a trap of emotional bondage...feeling like the good days are few and far between. It is an act of will, not of emotional response or feelings, that is required, in my opinion, to stay centered, regardless of your circumstances.
Activities that I do:
1. Gratitude journal: It takes two minutes a day to state what I will let go of, what I am grateful for, and what I will focus on. An example entry of mine is "I will let go of feeling like progress in my life is impossible; that I am grateful for being chosen before the foundation of the world by my heavenly Father, being loved by my family and friends, and having my needs supplied; and that I will focus on knowing that I can do all things through God, remembering that I am not alone on this journey, and accepting that I have many tools at my disposable for better physical and mental health." Start simple. Look around you. The beauty of a sunrise/sunset, the laughter on a child's face, the first sip of your favorite beverage...
2. Worry box: I keep a small decorated cardboard box, the kind you can pick up at the dollar store, where I put my worries. If something is occupying my mind to a point that it is stressing me, I write it down on a slip of paper and put it in the box until the evening (sometime after work is over, dinner is done, and there is a quiet moment) when I can open the box and read through the worries that threatened to steal my happiness throughout the day. In most instances, the worries in the box were taken care of by themselves so I rip them up and throw them away. If there are still papers in the box without resolution, then I pray over them and place at the feet of Jesus. I ask Him for support in letting go of the fears and concerns of the day, trusting that, in His perfect timing, my prayers will be taken care of. By the way, the worry box is not my original idea. I discovered it one year listening to Dr. David Jeremiah's Turning Point ministry which is centered in San Diego, California.
3. Calendar journal: I write down, in very condensed form, the basics of what I did for the day. I do it to remind myself what I actually did, ate, accomplished, discovered, etc. It really isn't meant to be reflective...just a daily activity that grounds me in the now. I learned that from my momma who is a faithful journal writer and has done so for decades.
4. Words to live by: I buy those small inexpensive 32 page exercise books that students use in the classroom and write in it daily. Doesn't take more than about 5 minutes. In the front of the exercise book I write the date and a scripture or set of scriptures from the Holy Bible that resonates with me, or stand out in my daily reading. There is something about writing the scripture out that claims ownership for me. I may write three or four days of scriptures on one page. Starting at the back of exercise book, I write commentary that I have read, heard, or listened to that sounds profound and meaningful from a variety of sources. An example is, "I want you to rejoice today, refusing to worry about tomorrow." When the scriptures and commentaries meet in the middle...I move onto another exercise book. The best part is picking up the exercise book at any time and reading over what you have written. I recommend reading it first thing in the morning or the last thing at night.
5. Writing for relaxation: Have you ever committed to writing out a novel or non-fiction book, especially one that gives you pleasure...word for word? I started this about five years ago when I needed to calm down from a very hectic schedule. It was something I could do and still hold a conversation if necessary. I chose to write out the Holy Bible. I got a 7 1/2" by 9 3/4" composition book from the dollar store and wrote out the book of Matthew from the New Testament. I decided that I should probably take on the New Testament instead of the Old Testament to start with because it seemed attainable. I never made it mandatory but eventually I finished writing out the entire New Testament by hand. Then I started on the Old Testament. I am only on the Book of Ruth but I promised myself I would not make it a completion stressor activity...it will be finished when it is finished. I write until I am calm or until my hand gets tired, lol.
6. Music: I'm not the only one, I'm sure, that receives a great deal of pleasure from music. Some like to play an instrument and others enjoy listening to the creations of others. I like my phonograph and my vinyl records, CDs, and the radio...but lately I invested in an Alexa Dot (an Apple product) so that I could request any song or sound that I feel like in the moment: happy music to start the day, favorite tunes of artists that bring back memories of good days and positive experiences, and soothing sounds of nature to help me relax and fall asleep. I've recently been listening to ocean sounds...ocean waves especially...because it soothes me. It's not that I am overly critical of television and other visual media, despite the fact that it does tend to turn us into passive couch potatoes, but I'm not convinced that it helps relax us. If you find it difficult to fall asleep at night because your mind won't shut off, or find it difficult to relax in the evening without resorting to binge watching Netflix or its equivalent, rediscover the medicinal properties of music. You won't be sorry.
7. Exercising: I like activity and often get caught up in the trap of thinking that if I only had someone to swim with, hike with, dance with, workout with, then I would be more active. It's hard to be self-motivated but exercise not only makes me healthier, but also makes me feel better. So I've started going to the gym, lifting weights, walking up hills, taking an aquatics class, etc. I'm convinced that sitting too long leads to structural problems and the accompanying pain to feelings of anxiety or depression. Despite the global restrictions that have been implemented since the pandemic, make a plan every day to be mobile. Furthermore, fresh air and exercise can contribute to a good night's sleep. Bonus!
8. Lists: I make a lot of lists...To Do lists...How To lists...you name it! It just helps me feel like I'm organized and prepared for the day/s to come. However, I'm also aware that God may have a completely different plan for my day. That's okay, too. For me, if I don't make the list during the day I will be making it lying in bed at night instead of sleeping. Food for thought...
To be continued...