wellness

A New Day Has Dawned

~ debsthoughts

Hold on for One More Day

Beautiful Sunrise

The sky was on fire this morning when I first looked out the window. A new day has dawned. It’s such a blessing to be able to roll over in bed and catch a glimpse of a beautiful sunrise. To see the incredible range of colors early this November day seems harmonious and calm, although I’m having trouble holding on to the feeling. But it is a new day and feelings, both good and bad, are fleeting. They don’t control me. And for that I am grateful. On Saturday, four days after the 2020 election, most networks ‘called’ the election for Biden/Harris. An hour before, one of my daughters reminded us of the Wilson Phillips song, Hold On (for one more day). So my daughters and I listened to the song from our respective homes and it was profound. We only had to wait one more hour for the news we’d hoped for.

The Stock Market is Happy Today

Colorful Clouds

I’d like to think the stock market skyrocketed this morning because of the spectacular sunrise, but I know better. It was more likely triggered by the news from Pfizer this morning that their Covid-19 vaccine is showing positive outcomes. There is also the chance the financial markets are pleased with the election results, but that could be wishful thinking on my part. I personally won’t rest completely until January 20th, 2021, at noon Eastern time. Until then I will continue to hold on for one more day and look for beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Of course, we can all rest assured that someone else will take credit for a great economy, even if it has nothing to do with him. (I prefer not to use his name. If you find that disrespectful, well, you are allowed to have your own fleeting feelings.)

Seventy-Two Days

Only seventy-two days remain until a new day will dawn for a new administration to start the truly difficult job of leading a very broken country in the middle of a pandemic.

Speaking of broken countries, last night we watched the movie, The Trial of the Chicago 7. For those who are old enough to recall the violence at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago, these were some difficult times for our country. There was certainly a Dejavu aspect of watching this movie. What goes around comes around. Hold on for one more day. Because there’s nothing new under the sun. Although, 1968 offered plenty of turmoil, at least there wasn’t also a pandemic to deal with.

Speaking of Pandemics

Sunset

Covid-19 has taken its toll on far too many humans. In my region numbers are skyrocketing. While one close friend tested negative yesterday, another friend lost his father today. These are trying times indeed.

Hold on to that hope one more day. If you miss the sunrise, as I do on most days, watch for the sunset. Sometimes it’s worth stopping what you’re doing, forget the schedule, get outside and go see and simply stare at something astounding, like the sky changing colors.

For most of us a new day will dawn tomorrow. Let’s hold on for one more day if we are able. Let’s hold on to the best of the fleeting feelings, like joy and love. Allow the rest to fall away – which may require some conscious inhaling and exhaling. Breathe in, breathe out, repeat.

5 Steps to BEing Calm

~ debsthoughts ~ 2 Comments

For many of us the daily challenges we face can feel like too much to handle on some days. Modern medicine tells us we must learn to reduce the stress in our lives. We’re told to just calm down, relax, chill! If you’re like me those suggestions are not helpful. So how do we start?

I recently started a daily practice of meditating for ten minutes. Only ten minutes, y’all! And it’s helping my overall emotional and physical well-being. It may seem daunting to BEgin but that’s all it takes. And in the end, learning to just BE is one of the most important things we can do for self-care.

Here are my 5 steps to BEing calm:

  1. BEgin today. Don’t wait any longer. There’s no right or wrong way to meditate. It’s basically sitting still and breathing. You are already breathing so now all you have to do is sit still and just BE for ten minutes. It can be anywhere, preferably where you can BE alone but even if you can’t, you can still BE still and breathe, anywhere. Sitting in a chair, on the floor, with legs crossed or straight out in front, are all perfectly fine. BE comfortable.
  2. Use a phone app if you can. I am using one called Calm and another called HeadSpace. I tried both with free trials and ended up purchasing a subscription to each. These are great tools to help us get started because they guide us through the ten minutes, reminding us to focus on our breath and walk us through relaxing and just BEing. These apps also have tools for helping us sleep with relaxing sounds in the background. You don’t NEED an app to meditate but I have found it excellent for a beginner like me. 
  3. Light a candle or incense if you are so inclined. These are not mandatory but I find it helpful to set the mood relaxation relaxation.
  4. Set reminders to practice at whatever time of day works best for you. Experts say first thing in the morning is best, but I grab my ten minutes when it’s convenient for me – usually in the middle of the day. 
  5. BEgin. There’s no better time than now. The benefits of this short daily practice are immense and cannot be denied. Just ten minutes a day of BEing still, calming the mind, and breathing deeply with awareness of the breath, can reap huge health benefits both physically and emotionally. Now keep it up because before long this new habit will be something you look forward to every single day.

Experiencing Daily Joy

~ debsthoughts ~ 1 Comment

About a month ago something triggered my need for renewed self-care. That something was awareness. It was an awareness, an opening of my heart, knowing I can do better and feel better for a more healthful, relaxing and joyful life. But how?

I’ve never practiced yoga or meditation on a regular basis even though I have had a clear understanding of their benefits, both physically and emotionally for a very long while. I’m no expert. Which is exactly why I now believe this is a perfect time to share my new journey into this self-care adventure. Continue reading →