Sure, I know you’ve got a to-do list a mile long, family and friends clamoring for your attention, or maybe you are just trying to get out of bed without any motivation to face whatever the day might bring. Humor me here: just for a moment, pretend that your only job in life is to keep your spirts up – to catch yourself when you feel yourself heading down the path of overwhelming worry, fear, sadness, whatever and to do something in the moment to bring yourself back up. That’s it. Do you feel lighter just imagining the a life like that?
I can hear you saying, “Yeah, nice image but that’s not reality.” And to that I say…the reality is that, while raising your spirits may not be your only job for the day, it truly is the most important. Now, I’m not talking about making all your problems disappear or getting yourself to the “hey, this the best day ever!” level. All I’m talking about is getting yourself back to your point of equanimity. That’s the level where you can not only function but manage without totally losing your cool, where you can say to yourself, “It’s ok – I’ve got this” in spite of what may be confronting you. Where you can breathe again.
And here’s why it’s so important…
- When you’re operating from a point of equanimity (or better!), life just moves more smoothly. Things fall together more easily. It’s like the Universe magically brings it together for you…only of course it’s not magic. Well, maybe it’s a little magic. When you send out the positive energy, that’s what comes back to you. But it’s also that we aren’t paying as much attention to what brings us down, or to what requires a little more patience to accomplish….because we’ve taken the pressure off and our focus is on the bigger picture of what we ARE accomplishing. And the rays of possibility shine through.
- When you’re at a point of equanimity, your brain clears. You are more open to inspiration, less distracted by thoughts cluttered with fear, anxiety, self-doubt and other forms of negativity. And what comes with clarity and inspiration? Answers! Creative, effective – and possibly even fun – solutions to whatever we are trying to solve and accomplish…
- The ripple effect: If you aren’t going to raise your spirits for your own benefit, maybe you will be motivated by what I like to think of as “The Ripple Effect”. I’m sure you don’t need me to point out that when we’re around other people who are in a bad mood, it’s harder to keep our own mood up. So, consider how you affect others when YOU are the one who is in the bad mood. Getting yourself back to your place of equanimity means you are making it easier on those around you to get to theirs. And makes is easier for you to show up for them when they need it.
This is a big topic. Not something a little blog post can adequately address. But here’s a first step for you to take along “the lighted pathway”:
Whether or not you’re in a good place in this moment, take a minute to list five things that you can do most any time that lift your spirits…things like, petting your cat or dog, listening to a favorite song, thinking of things you’re thankful for (which can be as basic as the roof over your head or your most comfortable shirt), or a few minutes to read or browse the internet.
Now add two more items to your list:
- Address the physical – eat, drink, rest – or move if we’ve been still for too long – and breathe deeply! (By the way, there are a hundred ways to breathe for relaxation. Try googling “box breathing” or 4-7-8 breathing to get started for a couple ideas. Also useful for getting to sleep at night!) Sometimes the best way to lift our spirits is simply to address the “calls for attention” from our body.
- It’s a practice!
That last item is the reminder that returning to equanimity will likely need to be repeated as you move through your day. Take that as a given, not as a sign of inability. Life is just like that. Waves will always come, but do we ride them or do we get caught underneath? With repetition it all becomes easier.
One last thought — Keep your list somewhere where it’s a handy reminder for those moments when you forget that your most important job is to keep your spirits up. Better yet, post multiple copies. It’s that important.
