Living Well: Live well to the power of 10

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

By Teresa Griswold

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-We’re more than 10 days into 2010, and what better time to increase the magnitude of our lives? Whether it be raising our conscious intentions, connecting with ease to the natural rhythm of our planet, or turning up the dial in our personal relationships, isn’t now the time to do it?

It’s a new year, and I’m ready to feel my aliveness and also share it with others. How about you? To start, here are five of 10 simple methods to increase your vitality, this moment.

1. Take a deep breath and allow some space to enter your busy mind.

When I start focusing on my thoughts, I realize I am either thinking about something that has happened yesterday, 10 years ago, or will happen in the future somewhere between what’s for dinner or how I’m going to feel once I have achieved (fill in the blank). But when I allow the space between the thoughts to exist in silence, there is a stillness that floods my being and feels like that moment right at sunset just before the mighty orb drops below horizon’s line when time seems suspended and peace magnified.

2. Turn up the heat and don’t do anything half way.

The things I do every day like making my bed or washing the dishes are routine, and might I venture boring, while other things like trying something new or pushing myself to the limits feels enticingly supercharged. The task here is to apply the same focus and presence to mundane tasks that we would to dropping into a couloir. That way every moment of life is heightened.

3. Practice compassion.

Sometimes the person who needs the most compassion is myself. I’m not being selfish here, just honest. I look at things and think, “I should be doing this or I should not have done that.” At best, it’s an assessment to see where I might improve, but at worst it’s a judgment and a means to feel guilty, less than, and separated from others. Applying compassionate understanding and gentle care works to unite us with ourselves and with one another.

4. Have some fun.

When I laugh for the pure joy of it or share activities like making cookies with children and getting flour on the floor and our faces, there’s a feeling of silly revelry that connects us beyond words. Laughter rings true with the soul, and levity is the elixir of the moment. No wonder a smile is considered universal communication.

5. Take courageous action.

Sometimes I know in my heart of hearts what the right thing to do is right now, but I let fear hold me back. Fear of what others might think of me or fear that I might fail or even fear of change. But how can we be the change we want to see in the world if we don’t take courageous action? Now is the time to step up and into the highest expression of love possible – toward one another, our planet and ourselves. JHW

Five more methods will be featured in the next Living Well.

Photo by TERESA GRISWOLD
Magnify the power of life by connecting with our planet.

PERMALINK:
Living Well: Live well to the power of 10 | Planet JH News Article: Living Well

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