November has come and gone too. One of the fastest months of the year. Do you feel it too?
Most days this month, I felt the need to catch my breath at the end of the day. Juggling work and school events has been tricky. During the first two weeks of November, my evenings were spent watching TV. I then realised I could perhaps not be addicted to a particular serial and spend time doing other things I love.
How many times do we get lost when we are so busy? When I am tired (I mean super-tired) at the end of the day, I usually know it. If I don’t get my backside to bed, chocolate is my saviour. I am very conscious of this and stop for a moment to realise this truth. And sometimes, I still pop a Ferrero Rocher into my mouth, but it is a conscious choice. On other days, I force myself to go to bed and feel refreshed after a good night’s sleep.
I listened to one of these podcasts and there was a discussion about being conscious vs being not-conscious. One is not superior to the other and both are essential to human living. When we are conscious, we praise ourselves and when we are not, we spiral into negative self-talk. How many times do we ‘Kuchisabishi’ and then berate ourselves?
**Kuchisabishi is a Japanese word that literally means ‘lonely mouth’ or ‘longing to have or put something in one’s mouth’ 😂 I guess we all Kuchisabishi’d a lot during lock downs and when we are stressed.
It is not always possible to be on high alert nor is it wise to be mindless. The trick is then to find a balance which comes through practice. Regular meditation is something that helps you catch your thoughts and what is on your mind. Many times, you can find solutions to your questions and problems through the art of just sitting quietly.
When I feel that I’ve been moving around too much during the day, I find half an hour or so watching the sky and the clouds passing by. It is a gentle reminder that there is so much more to life and that we can’t control everything in our life. Like the clouds passing by, everything keeps moving in our life.
When I do this sky gazing, if a problem pops up in my head, I choose to put it on a cloud and let is sail away. This can be a fun activity. 🌥
Every year, I chose a word for the year and in 2022 it was FLOW. True to that, I have let things flow to me this year. It has not been the easiest of things to do. When you plan something and it doesn’t go as smoothly as you would like or fast enough, you are always tempted to push, push and push. I’m still learning to balance this aspect of trusting the Universe.
As December arrives, it can be hectic trying to wrap things up before Christmas. It is one of the times when I look forward to a quiet period of reflection. Every year, my family and I spend time reflecting on the year that’s gone and setting goals for the new year. It is a fun activity I have been doing with my children for over 7 years.
If you are up for some reflection of your own, here are some questions to ponder.
- What was your biggest learning in 2022 (personal and professional)?
- What was one hard thing you overcame this year?
- What are your biggest wins (personal and professional)?
Goal setting workshop
For the last two years, I’ve been offering a selected group of people my Goal setting workshop to get clear on what they want from life in the new year. This is not just about work but all aspects of your life so you feel fulfilled as a whole. If this is of interest to you, here is a link to register – https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/473620350217.
I am not sure if I will be doing a reflection for the month of December. If you don’t hear from me, have a wonderful holiday season and see you in the new year.
