Maria Connolly, LPC
Mindfulness provides access to powerful inner resources so we can change the way we see and ultimately experience difficult situations. We’re empowered to participate in these situations – and interact with the world at large – as we work with what arises instead of trying to escape.
If the words “grateful” and “thankful” were colors, in the shade of red, which would be the darker, richer red? Many of us use those words interchangeably. They are closely related. But there are fundamental differences between the two. Understanding the difference between thankful and grateful will deepen and enrich your mindfulness practices.
I congratulate you! You’re doing very well at incorporating a self-care routine into your busy lives. You’re eating better, sleeping longer and deeper, and exercising more. And it’s paying off! You tell me that you have more energy and feel so much better. I’m proud of you. But may I bring to your attention a trend I see? People are trying to steal a few moments to cram self-care into the busyness of life, which ultimately diminishes or negates the intention of self-care. The result I’m seeing is that this approach doesn’t allow space for soul care.
We start out great…and then something gets in the way. How many times has that happened to you? You think you really want to do something, but within a week you lose the desire. To track down the cause of this lack of motivation, we need a practice of self-reflection. But what happens when we lose the desire to maintain a reflective practice? That’s a big problem because that deprives you of a vital life tool. We cannot afford to lose our momentum or get sidetracked from developing the essential skill of self-reflection!
A parent asks the child, “What are you doing?” Her response “I’m thinking.” The parent comes back with, “Don’t you think it would be better if you got up and did something constructive like cleaning your room instead?” We’re trained at an early age that “doing” and ‘’checking off tasks” is what’s important. We certainly aren’t taught a formula, system, or reflective practice to unpack our experiences. But I’m here to do that for you and we’ll get to that in a moment.
As a result, we’re caught up in the whirlwind of daily tasks and responsibilities. We race through life, rarely pausing to reflect on our actions, decisions, and experiences. However, cultivating a reflective practice can be a transformative journey that brings clarity, self-awareness, and personal growth. One of my favorite quotes helps bring this into perspective…
I was recently asked by a women’s empowerment leader, Dr. Christie de la Gandara, to share how everyday rituals can empower at-risk women. She’s deeply committed to fighting the current femicide crisis in Latin America — the killing of females because of their gender. She also included my contact information in her pamphlet of resources for these women at risk, which she shared with women leaders from 23 countries meeting at a recent conference. This is a huge honor and privilege for me. And I highly commend her for her hard work on behalf of these women!
But I ask you…would you have picked the topic of everyday rituals as being helpful for women fighting for their lives? Doesn’t it give you a clue as to how powerful ritual can be for our everyday well-being?