Do You Have a Daily Practice?

Last week I was on vacation with my family at a gorgeous lake house. I came back expecting to feel rested, relaxed and bursting with clarity and creativity. But I didn't.

I was anxious; my mind was racing about all the work I had missed and had to catch up on. Old subconscious thought patterns and habits were popping up. I found myself numbing out on social media. And I was judging myself hard for all of it.

You see, the two weeks before I went away, I was super busy (you know what it's like getting ready for vacation), and my daily practice of checking in with myself through journaling and meditation to set my intention and energy each day fell off the table. I skipped it in favour of jumping into my to-do list. It's a well-ingrained habit from many years of corporate life where I prioritized being productive over all things. It's kinda like a default setting when things start to get stressful. I think many of us fall into this pattern. It's a cultural paradigm.

Even while I was away with no to-do list, for whatever reason, I didn't take the opportunity to re-engage with my daily practice. Not sure why, but I didn't.

And so I returned to post-vacation life feeling off. Out of sorts. Lacking motivation, inspiration and creativity. Totally disconnected. Feeling kinda numb, actually.
Now, I know that my daily practice of connecting to my mental, physical, emotional and spiritual bodies is EVERYTHING.

I know that If I don't take care of my heart and mind first,  then I can't be in my zone of genius.

I know that my overactive mind will spin me into all kinds of old thoughts and habits.

I know that I will be judgmental and critical of myself and those around me.

I know that I am not at my best when I am not grounded and centred in myself.

I know all this, and yet, I still fell off the wagon. HARD!

It's called a practice because it's exactly that… practice.

No matter how long we've been doing it or how much we know, we are never masters of the practice, and it's so easy for us to fall into old habits that no longer serve us.

Last week I wrote to you about purpose and becoming the most authentic version of ourselves; to find and stay connected to our truth. We can't do that when we're busy in "DOING" land.

This new chapter of life is asking something different of us. We are being asked to step out of "DOING" and into "BEING", and that requires practice… a practice of connecting inwards, listening and filling our own cups before all else.

So many clients who come to me searching for clarity on their purpose are busy women. They are smart, successful and ambitious. They know there is more for them in their lives, but they are feeling stuck, and they almost always admit that they don't make time to connect with themselves. "I know I should, but… ". They are caught in an endless loop of doing for everyone and everything, and it's no longer serving them.

The only way to get out of "DOING" and into "BEING" is to create the space to connect with yourself so that you can uncover your true nature and access your gifts and purpose.

Do you have a daily practice to create space for you?