What a tremendously transitional time fall is! (Don’t worry for those of you checking in regularly, we will be returning to last week’s activity in a couple of weeks.) Many individuals I encounter have a really bumpy time of it… during September. I think this is due to several factors:
- The kids (if you have them) are headed back to school, and the preparation of that is all consuming.. Not only is the preparation tough, but so is finding a new rhythm: getting them ready and off to school ON TIME each morning, then coordinating for any extracurricular activities; is carpooling used? A great help, an additional component; and a new social network as the kids make new friends, want new play dates or social engagements. And the whole family is affected by the search of a new rhythm.
- Those who don’t have kids, still at one point in their lives also went to school, and I think this new fall rhythm also has a lingering impact: individuals wake up to the fact that it is not summer anymore and they actually have to get back to the business at hand. Many that I know have been a bit lackadaisical over the summer months and somehow recover consciousness to the fact that deadlines and quarterly quotas are part of their required existence. They too are seeking a new rhythm.
- We even have a sort of planetary support in this, we are about to shift with the autumnal equinox: such an exquisite moment when all parts of the earth have equal day and night. I find the unity of that rather poetic. Even if you are not one who is terribly concerned with planetary encounters, the truth is that the Universe works in a Divine rhythm, so like or not, you don’t have to believe in it, it too will have a transition this fall. And the days will shorten and the cooler temperatures will set in.'
So, why does any of this matter? I find that once persons become aware that this is happening, they actually have an easier time of it. It may require little to no action on one’s part, but simply to notice, that “oh, yes a shift is required here.” I find that once I mentally and spiritually shift, I become much calmer, less frenetic about what needs to be done and when and how.
How do you transition?
*Budget (as per our previous blog) is the cost of something. However, the cost is not monetary, it is an expense made energetically, or spiritually.
Okay… so let’s do an activity together. You will need a notebook or diary, something on which to write. I recommend getting an actual notebook for this, whether it be simply a spiral, or something special, that is your book that you will begin to catalog your wants, dreams, hopes and desires. Sometimes, when we get something that is a little more special, we will also put extra effort into the ritual of writing and keeping track of our progress rather than 6000 post-it notes lying around the house.
Before you begin, take one extra minute to breathe. Let yourself be still and quiet, for one minute. Breathe in, purposefully, and exhale, purposefully. Allow yourself to ground. Allow yourself time to accomplish something without a million other things jumping in the way.
Now, first, write out what it is you say you want. It may fall into any category: personal, business, family, relationship. If you have quite a few (and that is wonderful) give yourself at least one page per want.
Second, write out as many steps or requirements as you can think of to get your goal. Let’s go back to the example of weight loss. Let’s say you “know” that in order to lose weight you need to stop eating ice cream at night, great! Write that down. You need to move your body more frequently during the day. Write that down, then, what does that mean? well let’s say you for whatever reason feel you cannot go to the gym. Okay fine, so instead you know that you can take a ten-minute walk every morning at 10:30, and then a 15-minute walk during your lunch break, and then another 20-minute walk after dinner every night. The more specific you can be, the better you will be able to determine whether this is in your “budget”. This step could be lengthy, so take your time and be willing to have the process be on-going, jot down more steps as they come to you.
Third, tune in to your personal budget. Where I see most people fall down is in the honest evaluation of what they are willing to do to get the goal. Back to the weight loss example: let’s say you look at the first requirement and say “you know what, I don’t want to give up the ice cream.” This is followed by a litany of why-nots, none of which matter, the only thing that matters is you are not willing to give it up. Okay, fine, and then know that your goal will not be achieved. Oh, I know this is the sticking point because everybody wants to argue all the things they can do to HAVE the ice cream and still lose the weight: exercise more, skip lunch, smaller portions at dinner. This is taking us off the track. Because when I say each of us knows what we must do to achieve our goal, I believe this to be true. If at first you said, “I must give up ice cream” then that is your truth, please do not start some re-negotiation. Instead, let’s start to move into one of two places: either truly coming to grips with the fact that your daily ice cream is more important to you than losing weight… AND BE OKAY WITH THAT; or coming to a place within yourself where you are willing to give up the ice cream, at least temporarily, so you can enjoy weight loss and a healthier, happier, more vibrant you (or whatever weight loss signifies for you).
Fourth, breathe. Even though this is broken down into three simple steps, this is not an easy process. So breathe. Let yourself be with all the thoughts and considerations that will arise as you consider what you really want to have happen in your life and what you are willing to do.
And please let me/us know how it’s going!
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