Building on my optimistic new year’s attitude, spacious and open but grounded, I realize already after a week and a half that it will be challenging to hold to my attitude “resolution.” A friend is recovering from a concussion she got while at work, the result of an angry outburst she tried to quell. Covid, in its new form of Omicron is rampaging everywhere because of its transmissibility. I see events going back online. Some people are again working from home. In general people are tired, frustrated, discouraged, angry even. And understandably so. Too much uncertainty and chaos in all aspects of our lives for way too long.
How will I live my attitude? Reflecting, I realized that I rely on three anchors to stay grounded. I picture myself as a buoy or tower in the sea. There are three cables fixed to the bedrock beneath that keep me upright and stable. Here are the three, personal values, self-awareness, and self-care practices.
Simply put, my values encompass, loving the other, compassion, supporting others and caring for our earth. Self-awareness is more challenging to explain. It’s about my intuition, spidey sense, and listening to my body. Another way to explain this is inner awareness of my feelings and physical body messages and outer awareness of signals from the surrounding environment. Self-care practices include diet, exercise, rest, spiritual practices, and reaching out for support.
During the tumult of these times, I can feel overwhelmed. If my values are strained, I can bolster myself with my self-awareness and self-care to sort out and manage the situation. And so it goes, if there is strain in one area, I use my other anchors to stay strong. And if all are strained? I guess I really reach out for help then!
I intend to hold on to my new positive attitude for the year. Awareness of the anchors that keep me grounded give me hope that I will succeed to live an “optimistic, caring for self and supporting others” year. I’ll keep you posted. I wish for everyone to stay well in every way, and be willing to reach out for self, and for others. That’s the only way through this.