If you’re too busy to sit for 10 minutes you need to sit still for an hour

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“If you’re too busy to sit for 10 minutes you need to sit still for an hour.”

—Zen Proverb

Image from Unsplash by Alex Ware

During my busiest working years, it was a source of pride for myself and many of my colleagues to pat ourselves on the back for our workaholic tendencies.

When asked how someone was doing words like slammed, jammed, and swamped were ways we stoked our egos and compared ourselves to mere mortals.

We were not only booked virtually every minute of the day, some folks actually overbooked themselves to show how incredibly important and indispensable they were.

For many of these people this way of operating had a double edge with a considerable downside to their health and their espoused important relationships.

EXERCISE:

To what degree do you include buffer/relaxation time into your daily schedule?

Consider starting with blocks of ten minutes and work your way into hours, days, etc.

Feel free to reply to this post on how this proverb applies to you and your world.

“You’re Astonishing! How dare you waste it!”

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“You’re Astonishing! How dare you waste it!”

—Seth Godin, American author and former dot com business executive

Image from Unsplash by Colton Sturgeon

Today’s quote made me smile and frown at the same time—I love being happily surprised and astonished by amazing people, places, and things.

Seeing what is possible become realized inspires me to continue my own pursuit of excellence.

What have you done or achieved in your life which astonished yourself and others?

How far back do you need to go to recall these memories?

What have you done more recently that raises eyebrows and has more than a few jaws drop?

EXERCISE:

Who do you know that astonishes you?

When did you last tell them about your thoughts and feelings?

How much of your potential for excellence and greatness is still in the tank?

Pause when provoked.

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Pause when provoked.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Brett Jordan

What would be possible if you resisted the urge to judge and criticize others?

Where could an intentional pause allow you to pivot in a better direction when you are hooked by what others say and do?

Unfortunately, the time between stimulus and response seems to keep getting shorter and shorter.

Our urgent need to get things done, multitask, and speed though the unsavory parts of our lives often has us shoot before we aim.

EXERCISE:

Who are the people in your life that push your buttons and provoke you?

What are some frequent topics or events that trigger heated emotions and upsets?

What approaches can you take to mindfully pause before your amygdala is hijacked?

Friday Review: Priorities

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Friday Review: Priorities

What are your priorities in life? How do you prioritize your priorities? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

“We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our to-do-list.”

 

 

 

“Innovation is born from the interaction between constraint and vision.”

 

 

 

 

“Leave no stone unturned.”

 

 

 

 

Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust

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“Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust.”

—Sun Tzu, Ancient Chinese Military general & Philosopher

Image from Unsplash by Ricardo Cruz

What is your personal assessment of your health? Consider all aspects including your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual status.

What current habits and practices enhance your well-being and nourish your vitality?

Despite all of our best Blue Zone efforts, we all eventually decline and rust.

Our telomeres shorten and our cells don’t always replace themselves with the exact genetic codes of our youth.

I’ve heard that over the years about 70% of our health can be positively influenced by our actions.

Regardless of the exact number it is in our best interest to keep our life swords sharp and strong.

EXERCISE:

What factors in your world act like salt water, having a corrosive effect on your life?

How can you minimize or eliminate their toxic effects to optimize your chances of a long and healthy life?

Check out Blue Zones and investigate the work of the Human Longevity Institute for some approaches being used to galvanize our lives for the better.

My experience of life is what I agree to attend to

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“My experience of life is what I agree to attend to.”

—William James, 19th Century American philosopher, historian, and psychologist

Image form Unsplash by Fábio Lucas

How do you spend your days?

Who do you spend them with?

How agreeable and satisfied are your answers to these questions?

To what degree do you feel free to attend to your days as you desire?

How is your ability to choose your path blocked by factors outside of your control?

I recently reached a meditation milestone of 1400 consecutive days—the mindfulness exercises have been of significant value to my life off the cushion.

Building greater acceptance, patience, and compassion, and being more equanimous with life as it unfolds have been bonuses to my initial efforts to be less stressed, and grow calmer.

EXERCISE:

What steps can and will you take in the coming days to enhance your experience of life, and that to which you attend?

There is a big difference between fresh air and an air freshener

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“There is a big difference between fresh air and an air freshener.”

—Gretchen Rubin, NYT Bestselling Author

Image from Unsplash by Matthias Hyde

AQI or Air Quality Index is a term more and more people are familiar with these days due to the many Canadian wildfires.

Do a search for the most polluted cities in the world and you might be shocked at how many cities are almost always at unhealthy, severe, and hazardous levels.

Looking beyond forest fires, what other activities are the cause of such hazardous conditions?

Look into the ingredient lists of various air fresheners and you’ll see many noxious substances adding to the toxic load!

How aware are you of the things you put into your body?

How mindful are you of what’s in your food, water, and air, and their impact on your health?

EXERCISE:

What can and will you do to clean up your inner and outer worlds so we can all breathe a little easier tomorrow?

 

Linger in the space between thoughts

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Linger in the space between thoughts and discover what stillness has to offer.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Jack Dylan

How do you feel when you drive in city traffic?

Does the lack of space between vehicles increase your vigilance, heart rate, and blood pressure?

What is it like to drive along a scenic country road without another car in sight?

In what ways is the pace of your life and the world around you causing traffic jams in your mind, with no exit ramp in sight?

How long can you go without a few benders or major disruptions to your health and well-being?

EXERCISE:

Where and in what ways can you create greater space for yourself?

How could you benefit from blocks of stillness, taking your foot off the gas and lingering in the space between thoughts?

Friday Review: Personal Growth

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Friday Review: Personal Growth

What do you find inspirational in terms of your personal growth? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

“Throw your heart over the fence and the rest will follow.”

 

 

 

“More people would learn from their mistakes if they weren’t so busy denying them.”

 

 

 

“Learning never exhausts the mind.”

 

 

 

 

 

One’s life begins on so many occasions, constructing itself out of accident derived from coincidence compounded by character

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“One’s life begins on so many occasions, constructing itself out of accident derived from coincidence compounded by character.”

—Donald Hall, 20th Century American poet, writer, editor and literary critic

Image from Unsplash by Kyle Glenn

How often do you reflect on your life and how you arrived at where you are today?

What are some of the pivotal moments—big and small—that changed your life direction and set you on different paths than those you intended?

Although we wish to believe that we have complete control over our lives and can be self-determined, we can all see countless examples in which that was not the case.

Accidents, coincidences, and serendipity play a considerable role in where we end up.

Fortunately,  our character—which we develop over time—act as a gyroscope to help us regain our headings when certain events knock us off course.

EXERCISE:

What are some of the essential elements of your character?

How have they kept you centered and stable over the years, to keep your life unfolding as you intend?