I love it when the simplest activity you might be doing produces an insight that takes you by surprise.
Have you ever experienced that yourself? I’d love it if you comment on this blog with any of your experiences.
Today I was taking a morning walk and noticed something interesting about my posture. As many of us may have experienced, I have had some ‘mishaps’ in the past that caused me injury. A fractured ankle, and a torn rotator cuff muscle, both of which required surgical revision plus a knee replacement, which wasn’t from an injury, but simply wear and tear. As a result, I am more careful on stairs, and generally in all of my comings and goings. I really don’t want another injury.
As I walked, I noticed that my head was down and looking directly at the steps I was taking, one by one. I decided to look ahead and raise my head, which felt better posturally. I could easily look ahead and see anything that would cause my steps to stumble and adjust as necessary.
What I noticed was that I kept dropping my head and looking again at my feet and steps. I thought about this as I moved along and realized how reflective it was of life sometimes, at least for me.
We often hear about being in the present moment, which has a great benefit instead of dwelling on past events, mistakes, and so on. It can also be easy to dwell on the future and miss out on the here and now. Looking down kept me focused exactly on where I was at the moment, but kept me from seeing the big picture and looking forward and ahead.
Maybe it’s a combination of both and toggling between them in life, not just in the analogy of walking.
Here is an article you might enjoy from www.TinyBuddha.com titled “Why We Should Look Forward To More Of Each Day”
I love the quote that starts this article:
“Use your smile to change the world; don’t let the world change your smile.” ~Unknown
Life can be challenging. We have probably all experienced that. I believe every day has a mix of moments that can contribute to an attitude of ‘glass half full’ or ‘glass half empty’ and we get to choose how we process those moments.
Another article from NYTimes.com is titled “To Enjoy Life More, Embrace Anticipation” Looking forward to something can lower your stress. My husband and I have been looking forward to our 50th anniversary cruise for 6 months! It felt like a bit commitment but were grateful for our travel agent who helped answer questions and move us through the process. Candace Weber of Cardinal Travel Agency was great. I would highly recommend Candace. She also helped when we had some hiccups, like one piece of luggage going lost on our inbound flight to the destination. Now that can definitely cause stress! Having support always helps feel like you have some guidance and securing the travel insurance was a wise choice. Ultimately, we did receive the luggage before we left the port in Copenhagen, but didn’t know that until a couple hours after we left. What a relief when we opened our stateroom door and saw the luggage in the hallway. Thankful is an understatement!
Looking forward to this major vacation carried us through a very life-changing year so far. We experienced a home sale, home purchase, and move. On top of that, we have become a Digital Branch Owner in a new business.
Lots going on, but it’s all good and makes life interesting and gives us abundant opportunities to expand knowledge, stretch abilities, and connect with new people with common interests and goals.
What can you look forward to in your life? It doesn’t have to be a vacation, but simply a short getaway, road trip, or local attraction that you might have not visited yet. We have lots of opportunities for this since we are now living in a new area. That’s part of our websites, RetiredLifeNow and EastOfStLouis which are both in the early stages of development, but would love it if you took a peek and checked it out. It’s all an exploration of sights and new surroundings. Life is an adventure to be explored.
One of the resources that I created in my wellness business was a card deck “Relaxation Made Simple” which really focuses on the senses and being in the moment by taking conscious breaths, observing nature around us, and connecting with people in our lives that bring us joy. We can often forget to do the simple things and be caught up in the challenging tasks before us. Having this simple deck handy during the day to take time for a quick moment of relaxation can shift our focus and our attitude very easily. I invite you to check it out and you can use the coupon code RELAXNOW to receive this deck for 50% off valid through August 31, 2023. Nothing makes me happier than to share these simple and effective resources.
In closing, I would invite you to look up when you find yourself focused on looking down. Let yourself move ahead with your head held high and see what is ahead of you physically, or in whatever you may be looking forward to or planning. Maybe it’s a party, maybe it’s a new child or grandchild. I recently started a commitment to The Miracle Morning process and am finding it very satisfying. I’m only on Day 4, but starting the day with purpose feels great!
Remember, my wish is always for you to Be Well!
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