Weekly Inspirations
2019 — Q2W19 — Rejuvenation
How to keep flourishing and renewing ourselves.
This is the view in front of my window as I write this. Nature’s colours and abundance simply take my breath away. Yet, it is not always like that. Flowers prepare for a whole year to flourish for a few weeks. Trees and plant let go of their leaves for a minimum of three months before being ready to flourish and thrive again. Yet, we humans want to be always on, always happy, always thriving. So, how to keep rejuvenating ourselves?
Following are a few simple rules.
1. Physically — Resting Often, Eating Right
We pride ourselves for being able to work without stopping and we plan our next vacation as the time to rest. Yet, this is not how it’s meant to be. Instead, let’s get inspired by our heart which does not stop pumping during our whole life. When does it rest? Roughly put, the heart beats approximately once per second for about 80% of the second. The remaining 20% of the time, the heart rests. Similarly, experts recommend that we take 5 to 10 min rest each hour.
As far as food, I can definitely feel how some food gives me energy and some takes it away. Yet, we often give preference to food or drinks that feel good or taste good or are socially acceptable for that moment of the day.
Emotionally — Voicing Positivity
Áccording to Patrick Ewers, “Positive Alacrity is the art of creating micro-experiences that have an emotionally uplifting impact on others.” According to Patrick Ewers, “the action itself is simple: Think something positive? Voice it.” I believe in the power of that and also in frequently expressing gratitude.
Yet, most of us practice it very rarely and if we do, it is by using heart and like buttons. And it’s not the same. Walk the streets of any urban city and you will see people looking at their phones and completely unaware of the person next to them. So, let’s try to notice the person next to us more often and give voice to the positive thoughts that cross our mind.
Mentally — Unlearning
We all know about the importance of life-long learning. The question is different though. What are you ready to get rid of to give space to the new? We look at the process of acquiring new knowledge as a process of piling more on top of what’s already there. Wrong. Best learning starts with unlearning. Here is more on that. And let’s add to that Joseph Campbell’s thought: “We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come.”
Spiritually — Zest for Life
Are your eyes shining? Are the eyes of people you speak with shining? If not, why not? Nothing happens without inspiration, without a zest for living. If it’s not there, when was it last there? What is different now? What can you change to experience it again?
These are simple rules, yet, few of us practice them consistently. If they do, it’s visible because their whole personality is shining.
Check other weekly inspirations of mine.
