I just got back from Trader Joe’s and, man—that place stresses me out. Between the too crowded aisles and the oblivious shoppers (everyone except for me, of course), the second I step into one of these stores, I find myself immediately tensing up. As the Trader Joe’s trauma starts to take hold, I begin feeling unfocused and anxious. As a result, I unconsciously go down the same aisles multiple times, find myself backtracking constantly, and can’t seem to let go of that feeling that I have clearly forgotten something. Although I probably shouldn’t be admitting this, at times, the strain has gotten so great that I have even been known to literally growl!
Okay, so maybe Traders Joe’s doesn’t push your buttons. Perhaps it’s driving in rush hour traffic, dealing with a challenging boss, or negotiating bedtime with the kids. Maybe these are the things that set your heart pumping and your brow furrowing. The fact remains, unless you’re living in a cave somewhere chanting om and seeing through your third eye, most of us have something, or multiple things (I sure know I do) that cause us to feel stressed on a daily basis. If you take this kind of stress as an inevitability, (which I have at this stage of my evolution) then what’s next?
Well, just because life isn’t going to be stress free, (at least not this one anyway) that doesn’t mean we have to live our lives feeling like humans on a hamster wheel. Each one of us has our own personal treasure trove of tools that can help us stop the madness, mitigate the constant pressure, and counterbalance the effects of those regular stressors. We all have at least a handful of activities and practices, that allow us to feel a sense of peace and presence when we are engaged in doing them. For me, I feel it most when I’m holding a baby, or I’m absorbed in a great conversation with a close friend. For you, it might be when you are going for a run, eating a delicious meal, or reading a good book. The point is, we each can benefit from our own custom designed reservoir of replenishing resources, by identifying those experiences that bring us joy and rejuvenation. Then, we actually need to give ourselves permission to do them, without guilt or admonishment, on a regular basis.
Practical practice:
I invite you to take a few moments to write a list of five to ten activities or practices that bring you joy and nourishment. Then, for the next month, I offer that you give yourself the permission to engage wholeheartedly in at least one of those experiences per day
