Today I share journal entries written during my Christmas holidays. Take what resonates, leave what doesn’t.
After an intentional 6 day break from social media, emails, reading online, texting etc. I turned my phone back on last night and I have to say I was reluctant even then. We now have a cell phone jail in our house as a fun result from overuse. Humor is a great tool for realizations.
Digital Detox
Technology is great. The distances and barriers have been positively removed in so many areas all while at the same time, the con is Onscreen fatigue is a real thing which results from increased screen time. Sensory stimulation overload is a real thing. These days filled with virtual schooling, and online meetings to fill the gaps during the pandemic do take a toll. Being mindful of the hours online and the breaks we take, is one we do have control over. We all need mindful disconnecting from technology so that we can reconnect with ourselves. This is where nature breaks for the developing child and their caretakers are so important! Kids and adults need to monitor their time online and take off screen breaks often.
Taking good care of ourselves doesn’t mean we do all the things that are on our daily program for our health routines. Sometimes that may look like skipping a yoga class or workout and simply going to bed!
I advocate to my clients that I would never expect you to do something that I wouldn’t do. Force, shame and negative self talk only backfires in the end. These habits are not forms of self discipline which are important to move forward. Our intentions are what fuel lasting, loving changes. Knowing oneself, self compassion and self regulation, are true fuel for the mind to grow and succeed for a lasting healthy life.
I’m getting clearer about how much I value my own time, energy and health and how large of a negative impact the convenience of instant accessibility (and gratification) can have on my health if not regulated.This is an intentional decision to undertake, and one that requires consistent observation.
This among other things resurfaced in my soul during this time off the grid and helped clarify how I wish to spend my time, energy and gifts. Also, it’s up to me to regulate this. It’s almost like putting candy in front of a child and saying don’t touch. Lucky for us adults, we have fully formed brains and it is 1000% our own job to set our boundaries, limits and what we rationalize. Let’s face it, we could rationalize ANYTHING to get ourselves out of acceptance of accountability, am I right?
While I was off the grid and not working, beautiful goals and truths came to the surface of my soul and my mind let them appear. After I spent time nurturing myself back to a whole and healthy self, I slowly started to move into spending more time with others in an intentional and mindful way. Being careful NOT to jump back into the same pace that I left life at before the break. Acceptance that some days, weeks, months, seasons are more YANG like and that is ok. The end of a year, preparations for a holiday and various other elements, naturally require more energy.
My intuition has been listened to much more these last few years. Now when it whispers, I take head, instead of the old pattern of go till I drop. A question my children will always hear me ask, “just because you can, does it necessarily mean that you should ?”.
For my health and as part of my personal growth, I said no to attending a few things at the beginning of this Christmas, GUILT FREE! I knew I was at my physical, mental and spiritual end including complete sensory overload, planning and organizing overload and zoom fatigue. If I overextended myself it would only go downhill. I did not want to use Advil, caffeine, alcohol or resentment and a nasty version of myself fueled by guilt to push on through. This would result likely in a breakdown, physical sickness, vertigo, depression etc. all taking away from the joy of my beautiful life and the people I share it with. I have been there many times and have worked hard to move past the cycles and into self love and boundaries. This Christmas I loved myself some more and responded to life differently. The result was a slow, present and revitalizing start to the Christmas break that only filled my cup to overflow as it went on. Walking into 2022 I felt peaceful, clear and very filled with purpose. I intentionally said no, so I could lovingly say yes to quality over quality, in all areas.
Clearing Physical and Emotional Clutter
After Boxing Day, I was ignited to get even clearer and align the physical space around me to be on the same vibration of my soul so I decided to face my reluctance to tend to some “neglected” areas of my home. This space, the pause I gave myself, paved the way to take on this task.
Clearing physical clutter directly impacts the emotional clutter. Observing, decluttering, taking inventory reduces feeling overwhelmed in all of the spaces in our life. The small steps before tackling the task include , taking on one area at a time, taking breaks and no judgment. This has helped me to feel more beauty and vibrancy, with a greater ease of letting go, inside and out.
Life is filled with many things that we are juggling. Some things take a back seat and are put on hold while we tend with something of a higher priority. Space only comes when we create it. I created space to catch up on the back seat items by saying no. There are many things we cannot control, there are many things we can. Being the CEO of my life and really stepping into that role (not blaming others for anything) the powerful ownership that it is, has brought on such a sense of purpose, connection and peaceful drive.
“Taking inventory and cleaning house”, is a humbling opportunity for transformation of the patterns, resistances, or attachments that aren’t serving us any longer. Covid-19 has changed a lot of things however for me, I have decided to take a deep look and go from hustle to align in some very hands-on practical ways. Only by making the choice to slow down, take a good look, face it and to dig in does the next level happen. Do it regularly and with love, not fear. It is very empowering and this choice assists to simplify daily life to create more light and happiness. There was no pressure or shaming for others in my home to have the same “gung ho” attitude as me towards the decluttering. I just went about it steadily and unapologetically. Guess what happened due to my own steadiness with this goal? My actions, intentions, and my energy in turn, impacted those around me.
We create a ripple effect in everything we do. Sometimes more subtle than others. This was tangible and soon the entire household was sharing in this team vibe. My children and my partner both started to independently dig into their surroundings.
Working smarter, not harder, shifting from hustle to alignment, quality over quantity, disconnecting in order to reconnect is what you will see more of ❤️
It looks different for everyone depending on the day, the phase of life we are in and the level of awareness we have. Remember to slow down, take a deep breath, look around and embrace where you are. This is what prepares the body, mind and soul for the next level.
I love all versions of myself and I forgive all past versions of myself. Once I knew better, I started to do better. I also accept that it is not always easy and that we are all in different stages. Not one better than the other. And we get to choose who, what, where and how we spend the majority of our time.
I am so grateful to have you join me as I share my journey of the messy beautiful journey of life, that as humans, we are all going through.
P.S Join us for one of our most popular annual events: Vision Boarding Workshop 2022, Feb 16 and 23 7-8:30pm – Virtual Event
See you there!
XO Pam
