Mindful Warrior

We’re fully in the swing of Spring and accelerating towards summer. Have all of your goals been accomplished - vacation plans, job search, dating again or fixing the house? Whatever the plan, there’s nothing like the feeling of seeing it through to fruition.

However, what happens when we face bumps in the road en route to our goals? Sometimes things slow us down, nothing happens as a result of our efforts, or worse yet, we can’t seem to get started! Push harder! Never stop! That’s what a warrior does!! Yes, sometimes this is the key. However, sometimes it is not. The problem with the “go, go, go” journey is that it can become disheartening since we’re pushing so hard and can’t figure out what’s wrong. Frustration sets in. Frustration can slow us down and/or completely stop our efforts. This is when we begin “the gripe” - Woe is me! Why can’t I ever get what I want!?

Save yourself from this downward spiral!

As soon as “the gripe” begins (or even before) take your hands off of the situation. Honestly, let go of trying to make it happen, and turn your attention to these 4 tips:

Meditate - Breathe. Let the stillness of meditation do its work in order to allow new thoughts and ideas to come into your awareness over time. The more quiet we become, the more we can hear properly. In your meditation, ask to be led down the correct path. Trust that the answers will come to you in time. And, even if you don’t gain clarity immediately after meditation, journal daily. Inspirational new ideas will come to you when you least expect it.

Play - When we really want something to happen, but we're stuck with what to do next, sometimes we get overly serious about it. This is part of the “f” word - frustration. Now is a good time to play. Watch something funny, go for a walk or another form of exercise. Literally, engage in any activity that will make you laugh. You’ll actually be more productive, feel less burn out, and be happier. Now we can work!

Treat Yourself - When we’re on the fast track with a goal, sometimes we can feel depleted in the process, especially if it’s not yielding the results we expected. A great way to fill your tank is to give yourself a goodie. Yes! Now, don’t go crazy and permanently park yourself at Nordstrom or your favorite pizza joint, but do… treat yourself. A small item that will bring a smile to your face can help make things easier on the journey.

Discover Your WHY - This is a coaching exercise that I have found to be invaluable! Your WHY is like your personal mission statement to the world. It’s your reason for doing what you do and being who you are in every aspect of life. It’s very personal and specific. And when you know it, it creates a life of purpose because when we don’t know why we want something, we may not be able to attain it. Also, when you discover Your WHY you can have many different types of jobs - not just one. It’s hard to be stuck when you have Your WHY because Your WHY is your individuality with a purpose for living.

Now, you can get back to your goals from a much better vantage point, with new inspiration, a possible new path or the same path but a fresh perspective.

Take care of yourselves and each other…