Have you ever noticed you have times when you all of a sudden are ready to tackle those things you’ve been putting off for a long time (think organizing your paperwork, cleaning up emails, making that call about your insurance rates).  After weeks, or even months, of putting something off… you’re all of a sudden in the mood to do it? 

I started to notice this pattern in me a couple of years ago.  There are times when all of a sudden, I’m all about clearing things up. Then there are other times when I just want to dream and plan. I want to update my vision board, plan my business, read about travel or home décor. My to-do list and getting things done is a struggle during these times. 

Becoming aware of these patterns has helped me go with the flow a little better.  If I’m having a day or week where I’m feeling like I want to dream more and do less… I allow myself that. If I have a time when I want to drop my big tasks and focus on the organizing and taking care of the pesky sides of business…I do that. It’s also helped me stress less knowing that ‘to all things there is a season’.  Things do get done. 

Just like the seasons of the year, the cycle of the moon and our own hormonal cycles (both women AND men have cycles) there is an ebb and flow to everything.  Learning to pay more attention to how you feel at any given time helps you to decide where you want (even need) to focus your energy. 

In our go-go-go world the best way to tune in is to notice your breath. Every so often in your day, notice your breath, take a few deep ones and then ask yourself “how do I feel right now”. No need to do anything different but just start to become aware.  Start to notice what drains you at any given time (what drains you one day might not the next) and what gives you energy (same thing… it can be different from day to day). 

Rectangle Breath:

Sit tall and close your eyes (after reading this of course!). 

Notice your breath in.  Notice your breath out.  Notice that in between the inhale and exhale there is a space. 

After a few rounds of just noticing the breath we start to control it a little more. 

Finish your exhale.  Inhale for a count of 4-3-2-1.  Hold the breath in for a count of 1.  Exhale for a count of 4-3-2-1.  Hold the breath out for a count of 1.  Start the cycle with the inhale again.  Do this 4-5 times and you can change the count if you like.

After a few rounds just take a moment to check in. How are you feeling relative to what you are doing?  Again, no judgement, just an awareness.  Do this a few times a day over the next week or longer and let me know how it goes.  Are you able to notice if something is giving you energy or draining?  Do you notice how one or week is different from the next?  

I firmly believe that daily life does not have to be hard.  Sure, crappy things happen in life, big crappy things. But that’s not what I’m referring to.  The daily flow of living as a householder can be tweaked to work with our natural flow vs against it. 

I hope some of this made sense or at least is food for thought?  Hit reply below and let me know what you think… even if it’s different than what I’m thinking here!