Meditation applies the brakes to the mind

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“Meditation applies the brakes to the mind.”

—Ramana Maharshi, 20th Century Hindu sage

Image from Unsplash by Jan Kopřiva

Over the past several years I have become increasingly fascinated by my meditation practice and other mindfulness activities.

In my experience, meditation has never stomped on the brakes to bring my mind to a complete stop.

It does, however, help me tap the brakes to slow things down, so that I may take in my inner and outer worlds at a calmer and more peaceful pace.

EXERCISE:

Where might meditation and other alternative mindfulness practices help you slow down your mind to more fully experience your days at a more optimal pace?

Space is where miracles happen

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“Space is where miracles happen.”

—Rich Litvin, co-author of The Prosperous Coach

Image from Unsplash by NASA

If you happen to be a fan of Star Trek you may have always believed that space is the final frontier.

Keeping your feet planted here on earth, where are you present to the space between things in your life?

How much physical space do you have in your personal and professional environments to breathe and be your best?

How much head space is available to do your best thinking and most creative work?

EXERCISE:

What wonderful things might happen in your life if you made more space for the miraculous to occur?

Where do you need and deserve this space the most?

I am out with lanterns, looking for myself

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“I am out with lanterns, looking for myself.”

—Emily Dickenson, 19th Century American poet

Image from Unsplash by Julia Florczak

As a kid, my entire family spent July and August at Indian Lake Camp in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, swimming, boating, and participating in many other outdoor activities.

On evenings when our activities ended after dark, we made our way back to our cabins with our trusty flashlight complimenting the star-filled skies.

EXERCISE:

What flashlights and lanterns do you use to illuminate your paths in life?

To what degree are you clear about what you are looking for, and where you are headed?

When we feel burned out and depleted

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When we feel burned out and depleted sometimes we need to plug into a new source of energy that renews and restores. Resting is only one available option.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Clint Patterson

When was the last time you experienced burnout or a significant state of energy depletion?

To what degree was this experience physical, mental, emotional, or even spiritual?

Beyond our frequent default of resting, what other ways have you discovered to plug in to a different energy source when your get up and go is gone?

EXERCISE:

Imagine you were a vehicle with four separate fuel tanks labeled physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

How might tapping into another tank when your current tank points to “E” be a hidden source of renewal you’ve never considered?

Consider checking out the book The Power of Full Engagement for other ways to manage similar situations when you are out of gas.

My wish isn’t to mean everything to everyone

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“My wish isn’t to mean everything to everyone but something to someone.”

—Oscar Wilde, 19th Century Irish poet and playwright

Image from Unsplash by NorWood Themes

When we compare ourselves to others, we often focus on how many of them are ahead of us.

By trying to make up ground and get to the front of the pack, we often spread our efforts very thin and rarely make the significant difference we intend.

Sometime when we try to go big we and others would be far better off if we stayed home.

EXERCISE:

How would focus on fewer relationships at home be far more impactful than going an inch deep and a mile wide?

There is no tomorrow, only a string of todays

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“There is no tomorrow, only a string of todays.”

—Mark Nepo, Author of Book of Awakening

Image from Unsplash by xandtor

A few weeks ago, I spent three days at Sea World in Orlando with my wife Wendy, our daughter Rachel, and our two grandchildren.

With a double stroller as our base of operations, we adults got in far more than our 10,000 steps as we took in all the sun and sights!

Peak experiences — including our hands-on interactions with dolphins and Beluga whales — kept our full attention, with plenty of opportunities for photos to save these moments for posterity.

EXERCISE:

How would living your life as a string of todays help you squeeze more satisfaction from all the todays and tomorrows to come?

We live in an ocean of opportunity

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“We live in an ocean of opportunity. Being mindful of which waves to take will give you the ride of your life.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Jeremy Bishop

According to the U.S. Geologic Survey, there are over 332 million cubic miles of water on our planet.

Of this vast volume of water, NOAA’s National Geophysical Data Center estimates that 321 million cubic miles are in our oceans.

Waves on water are caused primarily by wind. If you’ve ever been on a boat or at the beach you’ve surely seen and felt their power.

EXERCISE:

What winds of change have you experienced over the past several years?

How have you embraced the abundance of opportunities all around you?

What support structures are available to help you travel toward new horizons?

The slogan “Have It Your Way” is not only for burgers.

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The slogan, “Have It Your Way” is not only for burgers.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Jacky Watt

Burger King’s Whopper was launched the year I was born (1957).  The food chain’s initial positioning — “Have it Your Way” — lasted 40 years.

Their new slogan —”Be Your Way” — is designed to remind people that no matter who they are, they can order how they want, and they can and should live how they want anytime.

EXERCISE:

To what degree do you experience a life of autonomy and freedom, to be and have what you desire?

What other slogans have you embraced over the years to live the life you love?