Have you ever heard that it's easy to be the sage on the mountain and much harder when you live in the "real world"? Whether you've been paying attention to the media madness or have your own set of chaos to attend to, there seems to be truth to that statement.
Yet, there are many who are quite zen and centered in all sorts of circumstances. You know who I'm talking about. They are the ones that help you see the light in the dark, the possible in the not, and make you better able to take a deep breath. You think, "I want to be like that." Well, you can, with practice.
This is part of what inspired me to create the coaching program, Turning a New Leaftm. (Make sure to register for the FREE preview class later today). Being freaked out in a crisis is the last thing that will help resolve it. Being zen, on the other hand, is a key component in becoming a leader in your own life. When you do, you then model that for others. It's a domino effect gift.
Being zen tips:
Read zen blogs
A new favorite is The Zen in You. The beauty of the site design itself is enough to help you on the road of zen-ness. The artwork and topics will help shift your perspective quickly. What a blessing! Other great zen blogs to check out are Zen Habits and Daily Om.
Go natural
I was actually implying spending time in nature. You don't have to jaunt off to the park, look outside your door, there's probably a plant, tree, or grass. Stare at it. You'd be amazed at how intricately detailed nature is when you look closely. Getting naked is good too. In your house, people.
WWBD?
What would Buddha do? Or whoever your zen role model is. Pretending can benefit you as much as it does kids. Even imagining how someone else might respond is a step in the right direction. It takes you from anxiousness to ahhh.
How have you brought more calm and zen to your life? Do share.
It's much harder to have inner peace in the midst of personal problems than on retreat, in my experience.
However, practice in the "real world" is not impossible, and has far-reaching benefits, beyond just yourself.
A few minutes of noticing your breathing, or enjoying the fall colors, walking a bit slower, or even calmly processing your email inbox to 0 can really help chill you out and influence those whom you affect to be more calm and relaxed.
There have been a number of studies on positive thinking and crisis situations--in life-or-death survival moments, thinking positively can be a major factor in getting yourself to keep on keepin' on.
Posted by: Duff | October 16, 2008 at 10:21 AM
Thank you for stopping by and the link back! I am really inspired by your blog as well. I will be back often.
Posted by: Caroline | October 16, 2008 at 01:59 PM