We are both stressed and blessed right now. Whether we realize what’s happening right now or not, many of us are struggling with traumas of one form or another. Some of us are juggling homeschooling our children with work. Many of us are out of work—we are worried about our families, and missing our friends but we can always keep a solid foundation within ourselves.
On a more uplifting note, we are also coming together on social media and having virtual meet-ups, and workouts. We are shopping for our neighbors, walking with our family, sharing funny memes, and connecting with people we might not have connected with given the “busy” of life prior to these shifts. We are lifting each other up.
Some of you may remember my blogs on “Empty Chairs” and “Good Grief, Charlie Brown.“
So much can happen in a year’s time, and I want to share with you a few of the fundamental practices I have adopted, that I really credit with helping me go from STRESSED TO BLESSED.
For those who don’t know me well, I’m a single mom, career-oriented, sole financial source, and relied on by so many and dealing with my own multi-levels of grief. I felt loaded down and burdened—without a clear vision of “a way out” or up. But with prayers, faith, and a great inner circle of friends I found my way into a beautiful level of peace and joy.
Even with everything happening, I can truly say “All is now well with my soul.” I still struggle at times, I’m still human and experience and respect all emotions, but I also have a solid foundation that cannot be shaken.
I would like to share with you the key fundamental practices that have helped me through challenging times. I discuss these in the facebook live I did recently:
- Building a solid foundation for my body, mind, and spirit, and
- Building loving relationships
My three key fundamental practices are:
- An audience of One:
I intellectually and intentionally chose to act, behave and believe in a way consistent with God’s purposes for me as if he is my only audience. (People pleasers out there unite!) I then started to see clearly how many directions I was being pulled in and how my focus on what were truly the most important things in my life was blurred. I began to have clarity, pause and focused direction. With this pause came peace. Take time each day to go inward, even if it means needing to go sit in your car.
- Take the one next right step: It starts with this question:
What is the next right step I can take today? Whether it is toward my purposes, goals, commitments, relationships, etc. Prioritize and do just the one next right step. For me, this kept me from looking back. I know many people have traumas, griefs, pain, and sickness as have I. Looking back has a way of pulling us back. God gave us eyes in front of our face to look forward not back as I like to say.
I started stepping into the present each day, being aware of and grateful for all of the good around me, and taking the one next right step.
I encourage you to read other important articles in my blog to help you determine YOUR next right step.
- Eye of the storm:
When you are in the eye of the storm it is a state of peace and calm. But while there is still havoc around and the oceans are still deep, the practice and discipline are to remain unattached to it. There is a lot of peace and joy in this place of unattachment, and it required me to give God all my burdens. What a relief that truly is.
So within all that is happening around you, I encourage you to try even one of these three practices. Share with me how these steps have impacted you, as well as what is working for you right now.
