Any time we're confronted by changes, whether they are changes of our own choosing, or changes that life presents us with, the Angels urge us to be extra gentle with ourselves. They urge us to slow down, even if only for a few minutes, and really pay attention to ourselves, to our hungers, to our wants, desires and needs on every level of our bodymind. Even changes we decide we want or need to make - adding in exercise or a meditation program or a few minutes of yoga - can be difficult to sustain. Conventional wisdom says it takes 21 days to turn a new behavior into a habit, and more recent research shows it actually takes four to six weeks. Dr. Mala Matacin at the University of Hartford spoke extensively to Karen about how hard it can be for individuals to make proactive changes.
The Angels suggest that if you wish to incorporate a new behavior - say, for example, eating more colors, or walking or meditating - that you pick one or at most two behaviors or activities to focus on per day. Allow your focus to be on something you decide to succeed at. Celebrate that success, and then the following day, try something different, and focus on that. Alternate your focus according to where your energy feels like it wants to go, or even, where it might not want to go but you know better...like, for example, to the gym. Going to the gym,every other day ultimately will result in your working out on average four days a week. Meditating and doing yoga on the days inbetween mean you also do that four days a week. In this way, you can address all the needs of your bodymind with flexibility and sensitivity and without pressure to change everything all at once.
In this way, you will build an experience of successes, and the cumulative effect, over time, will be an overall healthy one. You will also be a lot gentler and kinder to your self.
The Angels suggest that if you wish to incorporate a new behavior - say, for example, eating more colors, or walking or meditating - that you pick one or at most two behaviors or activities to focus on per day. Allow your focus to be on something you decide to succeed at. Celebrate that success, and then the following day, try something different, and focus on that. Alternate your focus according to where your energy feels like it wants to go, or even, where it might not want to go but you know better...like, for example, to the gym. Going to the gym,every other day ultimately will result in your working out on average four days a week. Meditating and doing yoga on the days inbetween mean you also do that four days a week. In this way, you can address all the needs of your bodymind with flexibility and sensitivity and without pressure to change everything all at once.
In this way, you will build an experience of successes, and the cumulative effect, over time, will be an overall healthy one. You will also be a lot gentler and kinder to your self.
3 comments:
beautiful, wonderful and timely (at least for me)
Not only am I chaning, but my children are changing in monthly or quarterly cycles, it seems. At once time in my life, change was easy for me-- just do it was just a way of life for me. now, i begin and find I must begin, again and again and again. letting go of judgement is now the tough part for this once oh so tough minded change-agent pro. Just Roll With It Mom....my daughter said the other day when I said I was feeling like there was too much to do and too little time.
KMR
lovely and inspiring
simple ways are often something we can follow through with.
thank you.
thank you, tammie lee... karen, i can feel your pain :(!
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