Mindfulness is a journey I've been embarking on this past year, for the purpose of getting my life together and establishing a routine that will change the trajectory of my personal and professional success, positively. Since I've attended university, I wanted to build a life that was clear, with a vision and plan to make goals a reality, and free from the scatterbrain that ruined my sleep schedule. A good night's sleep was something that never came easy, because of anxiety and the racing thoughts in my head that interrupted me. When natural sleep wouldn't kick in, I found myself mindlessly scrolling until 3:00 in the morning. I would wake up exhausted the next day without a plan, nor any motivation. I felt like a failure and wanted any solution to my sleep problem that could change my life for the better.
This June a friend of mine invited me to a seminar that focused on meditation and the use of essential oils, and how they connect to our mental health. I was familiar with meditation, yet I never practiced it routinely. He assured me that it was going to be a conversation with instruction, spa music, and later on we would learn how each little oil has a large purpose.
At the start of the seminar, we sat in a circle, listening to spa music. Spa music for meditation, which I have heard is a smooth combination of easy organ rhythms and nature sounds- was not my every day go-to genre for listening. My question is, if we're advised to not meditate to rock and roll, then why is spa sounds the rule? My best guess would be, that slower paced pieces of music have a healing power, a relaxing force. I definitely felt a connection to the music and meditation. Through hearing the slower beats, we were able to converse introspectively, and focus on the affirmations we offered each other. When it was time to go around the circle, we all had to share an emotion that we were feeling, and the group leader was going to read each of us a positive affirmation related to the emotion. I said gently, "I'm feeling anxious. There are a lot of things I don't know right now, but am looking for the answers". With the right amount of empathy, the seminar leader read aloud, "You think a lot about how you're going to face the unknown. You aren't there yet, but find the now until later".
Like many people in my circle always tell me, "Live in the moment". As hard as it is, it has to become a priority.
Living in the moment requires more than just simply "not worrying". I had to make serious changes- shutting off the power of my IPhone and tablet, taking time away from social media, and promising myself I was not going to get caught up in following other people. After all, comparison is a thief of joy, they say. I spoke a lot about the damage that comparing yourself to other people can do to one's mental health, and shared how I had to train myself to adopt a blase attitude to others' lives- as a means of not feeling like I should compare myself. Being able to speak of these feelings with others, was powerful.
We sampled a collection of Young Living oils to experiment with different purposes and flavors that work for our lives. I knew right away from the scent and my own research beforehand, that Stress Away and Lavender were the ones I needed. Many agree that Lavender oil is soothing, and can help in building a stable sleep pattern when applied topically.
Young Living essential oils have transformed me. Every night, I apply three drops to my wrist and read a book for an hour before falling asleep. I also had to learn that shutting off phones is a way to block the stimulant of light, and help our eyes rest. Because i am never going to know a world without smartphones, I found it difficult to break these habits. They were all I ever knew, for so long. Eliminating distractions can clear our thoughts in the best possible way. When I erase the gadgets, I feel a strong sense of peace. There are many more things I hope to learn and take away from these goals I want to achieve.
My mindfulness journey has only just begun, and I look forward to mastering the art of true balance, finding purpose, and happiness.
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