Our lives are busy, full of commitments, responsibilities, schedules and roles. Many of us are on the run from early morning to late at night, with little awareness of our own physical, mental or emotional needs.
We have responsibilities to our loved ones: children’s school and activities, aging parents needing attention and care, urgent situations with friends. We have responsibilities to our jobs: to management, coworkers, projects and administration. We have responsibilities to social and spiritual communities: church activities, volunteerism, and gatherings. And with each layer of commitment, more pressure is exuded, more confinement is felt. Our true natures may be buried under these layers. When do OUR needs get met?
These pressures tend to cover up or distract us from who we really are, and what we really need. Without a pressure release valve, we become more stressed and irritable, and may eventually snap.
Stress can be eased by improving time management skills, such as learning to delegate some tasks to capable others, or learning new ways to organize your tasks, your processes and your thoughts. But these practical skills are only a part of the solution.
Your true self is a treasure, buried under the layers of “must.” You can reveal that treasure in several ways.
Journaling: Taking even a few minutes a day to record your thoughts and emotions can lead to increased awareness of who you truly are and what you want or need. You’ll learn to recognize patterns of thought and behavior that you may choose to change.
Meditation: We write about this topic frequently in this blog because it is one of the most effective ways to cut through the mental clutter and get focused on our own soul wisdom. With practice, you can learn to still your mind and derail the neural stress responses that affect your mind and your body.
Creativity: If you enjoy a creative outlet like music, art, or movement, allow yourself to regularly express yourself through your favorite medium.
When you take the time to “go within” regularly, even for a few minutes, you can stay in touch with your true nature and with your soul wisdom, enabling you to manage everyday stressors with more ease.