ASYNCH TUESDAY: Taking Care
9:45 AM Mind, Body, Spirit Check-In:
I woke up today and the first thing I noticed about myself wasn’t anything physical for at least 20 seconds. I felt a positive emotion at first but it quickly became tainted by many negative emotions that followed like stress and anxiety. This probably means that my spirit is naturally inclined towards love and affection but that can easily be overshadowed by anxiety from expectations from both the people I love and myself. Eventually, I noticed the color of my skin and my weight. Noticing these led me to the words normal and care. I don’t believe I’ve been taking as proper care of my body as I should be to the point where feeling things like hunger and nervousness are natural for me in the morning. I’ve recently resolved to put greater effort into really gauging what my physical body and mental well-being need to be able to function the best I can. Lastly, I wrote repetition. Repetition for some people can be comforting and it is for me, to an extent, but at some point, it turns from repetition into just letting life drag you along. I want to be more proactive in the way I’m living and I can’t have constant repetition if I’m going to do that. If I’m able to do at least one new activity each day, I’m positive most of the words from this list will be replaced by something more favorable.
4:35 PM Mind, Body, Spirit Check-In:
Warmth, Bodily Fluid, Humor, Peace, Creativity, Family
The first things I noticed about myself were more physical as compared to the morning. I feel more full physically but looking down my list also emotionally. This is around the time of day I feel the best and can be the most productive. I took the time to cleanse my spirit by going outside, interacting with people I enjoy talking to, and exercising via bike. Learning new properties about my campus, my friends, and my body helped my mood tremendously. It’s like a break from the repetitive cycle I dreaded earlier. It’s kind of weird how my mood can affect my physical health so much. I feel more prepared to engage with the world and create something of value to this world.
12:20 AM My Elder:
Dear Future Me,
I know focusing on yourself has always been somewhat of a challenge. You feel like the world is moving too fast and you’re always being left behind. This affects your ability to find out your passions and interests and explore everything you love. Or maybe it doesn’t and you’re just too afraid to go after what you want in the first place. So you immerse yourself in the idea of “having to be productive”. So much that it comes at the costs of connecting with your family, friends, and just the world around you in general. The thing is, productivity is a made-up goal that was embedded in you by your society in order to keep you always working. And you’re falling right into their trap. Of course, you could and probably would argue “oh well aren’t all concepts of well-being just ‘made-up’ human terms too?”. To this, I say this is completely correct but it doesn’t mean you can’t choose how to utilize your free time to your own advantage. Maybe really try to listen to what your soul wants and you wouldn’t feel as lost in life. Not having a purpose in life and living a purposeful life are not mutually exclusive. So as my elder, I hope you’ve picked up on the wisdom of being able to lead both of these at the same time. I hope you have finally discovered your true self after all those years of oppressing every feeling you’ve had that doesn’t align with society’s expectations of what constitutes a fulfilling life.
Sincerely,
Maia
