Life Arises
Some days you might find me fumbling about, quickly pulling on my shoes and dribbling coffee down my blouse as I rush out the door to an early morning meeting. Other days I set upon my day with intention and a plan. But, no matter how much you plan ahead or try to control circumstances life still happens.
As C.S. Lewis wrote:
“We must stop regarding unpleasant or unexpected things as interruptions of real life. The truth is that interruptions are real life.”
Misfires and Alignment
So, how do you keep your footing amidst the unexpected misfires of the day? Sometimes we don’t. That’s when I stop and remind myself:
“Let your soul stand cool and composed before a million universes.” This Walt Whitman quote sits in a frame beside my computer.
Becoming Still
The quote redirects my thoughts as I imagine myself standing with my feet solidly planted on the ground, my arms stretched wide before a galaxy of twinkling stars in a midnight sky. I become still. Very still. And in my mind’s eye I am capable of handling chaos and disruptions that comes my way. I am as solid and as strong as the Earth beneath my feet.
Constancy in the Unexpected
Like change, the unexpected is a constant. What if you could change the way you respond to the unexpected — that is, surrender to it, roll with it — would you give it a try? So that misfires don’t dismantle your day and obstacles don’t overwhelm you or distract you from reaching your goals.
Viktor Frankl’s quote:
“The last of human freedoms — the ability to choose one’s attitude in a given set of circumstances,” certainly tests my ability to shift perspective during challenging times. And it plants a seed. It says to me that I have the freedom to choose my response.
Respond vs. React
In the midst of crisis or chaos, or even the daily grind, it isn’t always so easy to respond instead of react, right? From something as annoying as a driver that cuts you off in traffic to something bigger like a family emergency, reacting is normal. Breaking down happens.
An Elixir to the Soul
But, just as I stop to feel my feet on the ground, I also stop to breathe. It helps me reset. Conscious breathing creates a vacuum of peace made of space. If I track my breath long enough, my thoughts simmer and an effervescent space arises. Everything becomes still and calm like the motionless water of an early morning lake yet disturbed by wind or wake. In that settling of nature there is freedom. Freedom to choose.
Conscious Breathing
Part of the trick to creating space is to practice conscious breathing on a daily basis. It helps you build resilience and helps you strengthen and flex the internal think before you speak muscle for responding rather than reacting.
Get started with this simple breathing practice.
