Mindfulness: Attained & Sustained
Mindfulness: Attained & Sustained
I hear this comment a lot, "You are so creative!"
I consider it a HUGE compliment because in part, it's not completely a natural talent of mine. Yes, I have elements of my "creative identity" that come fairly natural. My creativity behind the camera lens is, in some ways, natural. But the reality is, even our natural talents have to be practiced in order to sustain them. AND, we also have to discover them. What if nobody had ever given me a camera. I would have no idea that a creative eye for photography lives inside. The same is true for my mindfulness practice and the creative pages that fill my sketchbooks. This is definitely not a natural talent of mine by "traditional" means. I can't draw. Really, I can't. Sit me in front of a bowl of fruit and ask me to draw it and it won't end well. On the page or in my body. I'll be full of anxiety, doubt and judgement. Feelings I consistently work to remove from my life through mindfulness practices. After spending many years developing a mindful coloring practice, sit me in front of a sketchbook in a quiet, reflective environment and give me something to draw with and a whole different scenario plays out.My body relaxes and feels soothed.
I effortlessly let color and expression flow onto the page in creative ways.
I end with a feeling of accomplishment, wonder and peace.
If you know me you know I often go full speed...non-stop...juggling and trying to “do it all”. That started shifting a few years ago when I worked with life coach Susan Hyatt. She pointed this little detail out to me and asked (begged) me to stop. “Find time to rest and rejuvenate. One day a week.” I called it being GROUNDED. I felt like a 13-year old being forced to stay home from the party. Life's ongoing party in this case. But, slowly (very slowly) it began to take hold. I started enjoying quiet nights or afternoons in. I became grateful for the silence of my apartment and the joyous feeling of being surrounded by my things and more recently cooking fresh and healthy meals for myself. While I was giving in to the idea of rest, the reality of my career kept my mind always “on.” A career in Crisis Management does that. You never know when things will happen. You can't watch the news without thinking of work. “Things” happen 24/7 and you never know when the next one might hit. So while I was beginning to understand rest...my mind never fully gave in. My mobile was always nearby. I quickly read every text or looked at every incoming call. I slept with my mobile, OK 2 mobiles, by my bed every night. I never left the house without one or both of them. I was always connected. I was always on