Today Is A Great Day To Begin

Last week I realized that I was pushing myself to complete all of the activities on my task list without taking into account whether there was enough time in my day. I had stopped doing my yoga, I was eating only when starving and I didn’t feel that I could take even 5 minutes to meditate.

Naturally, I felt miserable.

I had a friend tell me—isn’t it great to know that all those things DO make a difference in your life?

So today, I begin again.

Not with a full workout, simply a gentle stretch. My lower back muscles have been sore from sitting working at my computer—a full set of yoga stretches would be a mistake. The old “no pain, no gain” would probably put everything into spasm and then where would I be? (Miserable and in pain.)

No, today I walked out onto my back deck and smelled the breeze. I gently performed a modified forward bend and then some other beginning stretches. It is a beautiful day to begin.

There is nothing wrong with beginning. (Even if it seems as if that is the place you start again and again.) Each beginning is a chance to care for yourself and treat yourself well.

There’s a new book out this year, called This Year I Will… by MJ Ryan. It’s funny and inspiring. She helps each of us realize that no one is perfect. The process of changing and growing is messy and filled with moments where it’s more than possible to feel like a failure. BUT, the awareness of failing is the beginning of true change.

It is uncomfortable.

BUT, if you can persist through your uncomfortable feelings, learn from your experiences—you can achieve lasting change.

Today is a great day to begin.

Thanks for sharing a few minutes with me.
Ellen

Here's a link to MJ Ryan's book, This Year I Will…

Ellen Wass Beckerman
Writer/Photographer/Graphic Designer
www.gardentextures.com

REVERSE Busy-ness in Five Minutes

Everyone is busy today. Busy-ness CLOSES doors, DECREASES our interactions with other people, and SHUTS DOWN our hearts and minds.

Busy-ness IS REVERSIBLE.

GIVE yourself the gift of 5 minutes. Set a timer and do one of the things below.

WARNING SIGN: If your first thought upon reading the sentence above is “I don’t have the time!!”; then you should do this exercise immediately.

FIVE THINGS to do in only FIVE MINUTES
1) MEDITATE. Listen to Your Breathing. Relax.
You don’t have to DO anything. Stop. Listen. Breathe. Create the space for something unscheduled come into your life.

2) STRETCH with 5 Sun Salutations (Or any exercise of your choice.)
How many times have you been told to exercise 30 minutes a day? You haven't begun yet, because you can't figure out where the extra time could possibly come from.

Start with five minutes instead. Many of us set goals so high and objectives so big that we are overwhelmed before we begin. (Failing in the beginning of a goal is a great excuse to stop.)

START with a goal that is so simple, so easy, and so much fun that you will succeed immediately. Increase your goals SLOWLY and in SMALL steps. SUCCEED with each step. String together lots of successes over a period of time and you can achieve a really big goal in a fun, easy way.

3) REFLECT on 5 things in your life.
Focus is the key to achieving almost everything. Being busy all the time saps our strength and causes us to feel a sense of loss or a feeling of being deprived. Acknowledge your accomplishments and your blessings. Take a moment to feel positive about what you've done before moving on to the next task on your list.

Note: Sometimes and in some situations, we may not feel grateful for anything. If that is your case, then I extend a big, heartfelt hug to you and recommend that you try the Meditation exercise. Create a moment of space and comfort. Rest. By changing your awareness, you’ll allow the space for something good to happen in your life.

4) REMEMBER the first time in your life that you were happy.
It's ironic that some of our worst moments and memories in life often stick with us longer than our happy ones. Change the groove of your record (Or in more up-to-date terms: Change the song on your MP3!) Think about happy times. What qualities that made them memorable? Can you add more of those qualities to your life today?

5) TELL Someone Them You Love Them & Why
I have had many people tell me: “Of course, I love my spouse, my parents, etc.”

BUT, how would they know?

Do you call them? Do you email them? A lack of communication leads to a loss of connection. If YOU are feeling lonely, then someone you love could also be feeling lonely.

Our connections are our strength. Love gives us more than enough energy to get through a busy day. The next time you are tempted to buy something because you are feeling empty or lonely—Spend a Moment Instead Of A Dollar—tell someone you love them.


NAME one thing you would do, if you had five minutes

NAME one reason why you aren’t doing it.


Thanks for sharing five minutes with me.
Ellen

Ellen Wass Beckerman
Writer/Photographer/Graphic Designer
www.gardentextures.com