Stretched - Between Christmas and New Year

We are officially in the week of the year when all the numbers fall off the calendar and no-one knows what is going on. It's a privilege to be needed or 'in demand' during this potentially nebulous time. But what if we're really feeling stretched or pulled in multiple directions?

Here are a few ideas that I try to embrace:

1. Listening to nature. I had a radical inclination to open the window in my bedroom today. I'd been lying down, not feeling the best following a summer cold. I was amazed by the way that bird sounds flooded into my room and my being, bringing hope and wonder.

2. Noticing movement. When we do seemingly basic things such as standing up, there is a complex set of movements that goes on, involving a wide range of body parts. It's worth paying attention. I also find it rejuvenating to notice movement in nature, such as birds flying, trees swaying in the breeze, clouds floating across the sky. 

3. Appreciating fun and craziness. I'm fortunate to spend quite a lot of time playing all manner of games and sports with young people. Yes, sometimes challenging things happen, like when I collapsed a chair the other night, crashing to the ground and causing tingling down my spine. But wow, we really did have a lot of fun creating games with a ping pong table and ball, plus multiple soft toys. These rare times don't last forever. 

4. Allowing the mind to sink into the heart and rest. I place my hands over my heart and picture my mind sinking into my spiritual centre. Cathartic indeed. 

5. Noting thoughts. When I'm doing something, such as washing dishes, I try to note when my mind goes AWOL. If I notice I've been away with the fairies, I say to myself, "thinking" - gently, like a feather on a glass - and then return to feeling the water on my hands.

I hope this is helpful for you too.

How do you cope when feeling overstretched? 



 


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