Finding gratitude in small spaces....

As days turn into months, and time quickens its pace there are days when it feels like no amount of rest will be enough to wield the built up tension and stress back into a manageable amount. So many challenges face us as we navigate our world, and each day that passes, it feels as though another piles on top. Getting swept away in the fear and anxiety that looms over us would be easy. And yet there remains opportunity.

With gratitude in my heart, I am learning to peace in the spaces in between. I find myself focusing in on the small things. I am filled with gratitude for the warmth of the sun on my face, and the whisper of the scent of devilwood in the air. I smile when I hear birds chirping, as I realize I am eavesdropping on a secret conversation is being shared between them, and marvel at the oak trees dancing in the wind. My heart spills over when my young children present me with their schoolwork filled with the pride of their learning. Rather than being seduced outward into the chaos that surrounds us, I retreat into the silence and wisdom of my soul’s voice, and trust that its wisdom holds my best intentions.

I encourage you to do the same. Recognize that the fear, and pain, and suffering that we are being challenged with is more accurately an opportunity for true growth. Understanding that discomfort can facilitate growth, in order to become something more, in order to attain another level of consciousness. Just as child birth requires discomfort and pain, it also requires surrender and vulnerability. So too does this opportunity for redefining the negativity that surrounds us.

Take time to tell yourself: “I am ok.” Repeat it over and over with each breath until your inner wisdom finally aligns with it. Take time to tell someone else that they are ok. Help to co-regulate another by simply hugging, or breathing together. If you find yourself feeling anxious, you can sing or hum to help stimulate your vagus nerve, allowing your autonomic nervous system an opportunity to reset. No matter how challenging life becomes, we all possess an innate ability to find stillness, and, in that quiet space, to attain peace.

When life seems unforgiving, and vast, and lonely, and cold, remember that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. Remember that our consciousness connects us to one another. Remember that our heart’s love can support not only our own growth, but the growth of the world. This growth is the key to becoming soul minded.