This week, whenever you find yourself alone savour the peace that silence brings. When you are alone you can experience the joy of your own company; think of this time as a precious gift in which you get to spend time with someone you need to love – you!
Some people do not enjoy their own company and feel the need to fill their time with constant plans and distractions. If you are one of these people, consider how it is that you can enjoy someone else’s company if you are not able to sit with yourself. The relationship that is of paramount importance is the one you have with yourself. If you reflect on this you will see that you are always with yourself even when surrounded by others. When you have created peace within yourself your inner confidence will shine and radiate outwards.
The joy of being alone.
The 8th of December was traditionally the day when country people travelled to Dublin to do their Christmas shopping. This week, reflect on what kind of Christmas you wish to have. It is easy to get sucked into the hype of Christmas shopping and end up spending money on gifts that go unused or unappreciated. The closer we get to Christmas the greater the panic as people ask the perennial question, “are you all sorted for Christmas”?
The true meaning of Christmas has nothing to do with consumerism and taking things to excess, yet the expectation of over-indulgence is widespread; spending too much, eating too much and drinking too much. Too much is really too much – your body struggles to cope with the excess of food and drink. Your bank balance is probably also struggling. Less is probably more in this context.
Nobody is suggesting being a Christmas Scrooge, simply that you consider what you really value about Christmas. When you recall Christmases passed is it the gifts that you remember? Is it the food and drink? Most likely, the memories of being with the people you love is what you remember. This year, spend your time and energy on having a mindful Christmas where the only “excess” is an abundance of love.
We all have to make many decisions every day and sometimes our circumstances demand bigger or more crucial decisions be made. This can seem overwhelming – knowing what is the best path to take. Life altering decisions such as whether we should take a new job we have been offered, if we should buy or sell a house or what school should we send our kids to? The weight of these decisions can become heavy as the perceived results are significant. We therefore often ask family and friends for their opinions, we research, ruminate and ponder what the outcomes might be for each decision we have to make. All of these steps might appear to help but the reality is that they often add to our confusion.
The answer to making any decision lies in your gut feeling. If you have feelings of discomfort when you consider one of the options then you should know that this is not the right decision for you. Do not rush into making a decision until you have become aware of your gut instinct or feeling. This is the strongest ally you have – learn to trust it.
Why does it often take a tragedy for people to do what they really want to do?
This week, consider anyone you know who has faced a terrible tragedy in their lives; a bereavement, serious illness, the loss of a home or one of the struggles that many of us face. You may even have had a recent trauma yourself and are trying now to cope with the everyday business of getting on with your life.
People who lose a loved one, for example a spouse or parent, often decide that they wish to start to focus on the areas of life that make them happy. They are no longer content to settle for a life that disappoints them or to spend time with people who drain their energy. We can learn something from those who do not just survive a tragedy but overcome it and thrive. Take a moment to identify what you value in your life, what activities you enjoy. Ask yourself, who fills you with positive energy? Turn your attention towards these things more and more rather than waiting for a tragedy to remind you of what is important in life. Turning tragedy positive.
If depression is the common cold of mental illness, then anxiety, now epidemic, must be akin to allergies or asthma – if not normal, exactly, then at least a common variation. Here, Julia Molony details her decade-long struggles with persistent negative thoughts, and shares what light there is.
http://www.independent.ie/life/health-wellbeing/mind-yourself/mindyourself-learning-to-live-with-chronic-anxiety-julia-molonys-ten-year-struggle-34198253.html
