With everything you've got
Sometimes the hardest thing to do is doing what is needed most. We cannot and must not remain in a perpetual state of fear, shock, grief, or anger. We need to shift focus away from the heartbreaking destructive violence to recharge ourselves for five, 10, 30 minutes and breathe. I'm not saying look away. I'm saying we need to replenish our energy so we can all stand stronger in our communities. I know it's hard to take in the somber terrain of burnt buildings, destroyed businesses and lives, and hearing that some or the majority (depending on the source of information) of the destruction is at the hands of out-of-towners who are coming to cause chaos (in Minnesota). Hate is being aired out in the worst way right now. And looking away is the opposite of what we should do. But since we're all part of this landscape and are all impacted, being a part of it requires us to stay balanced and healthy, especially during a pandemic. Today I'm revising my message because I received feedback that my last offering was seen as "clueless." Upon my own review I can understand how my message might be interpreted as minimizing the situation we're all facing and a percriptive oversimplification that we could "just breath through it" -- it meaning the chaos and the violence happening in our world. While this most recent criticism stung, I am using it as fuel to be better and to encourage you all to be stronger. So to that critic, I thank you. While your sculpting today was cut with a sharp knife, I am grateful. I know feedback like that is truly a gift and serves to shape me as a better inspirational writer. Recharging is imperative during these times. It will allow you to exhale and release your fear, anger, shock, grief, or whatever is preoccupying your being and stifling your higher self, even if it's for a moment. The world is full of suffering and the closer it gets to our doorstep, the harder it becomes to ignore and the scarier it is felt. But you don't need to let fear completely take over. You are an ambassador of life who is having an experience not just to suffer through things but to thrive and to be strong in the face of hardship. How you do that is by recharging yourself with self-care. Self-care, while it can sound flowery to some and be dismissed as a quick-fix of tomfoolery in a bottle. I say no. Self-care is taking care of yourself in the same way you would a child. It's loving yourself by getting enough rest, removing yourself from dangerous situations, feeding yourself good nutrients that sustain your life, exercising and moving your body so it doesn't cause unnecessary pain, spending time in nature because it's the closest life we can relate to and learn from to benefit our lives, taking a deep breath and letting it out to remember you are alive today and sometimes that is enough. I am passionate about recharging. I believe recharging is the foundation of living a good life. It can lead to feelings of personal strength and empowerment, to advocating and believing in your worth and the importance of self-care, to feelings of gratitude for your life and all your lessons that made you better, to moments of euphoria and happiness all because you started to take action with recharging. Not only that, but it's also a constant cycle that you can adopt to grow and to live fully, which is not just the goal for life, it's our birthright. So please prioritize recharging yourself. Not tomorrow, not next week, TODAY! Step away from reality for a valuable moment to restore yourself to find the strength to face whatever life presents or throws at you. And if you're feeling a lack of strength, that's okay too. REcharging doesn't always require that you take a conscious clensing breath. Just keep breathing. I know it sounds like a circular reasoning, but you can even take a time out from recharging. It is there even if you don't feel it. Recharging and building your inner strength will become stronger the more you practice. You can find strength externally too through your communities, your families, your friends, and even your pets who have the capability of sharing unconditional love. Recharging is about valuing your life. May you find space to prioritize yours in spite of what is going on in the world so you can face it with everything you've got. Kelly Stone Cramer https://www.happinessrecharge.com For more uplifting messages, view all past recharge tips here. Feel free to connect with me via email at Kelly@HappinessRecharge.com.
When you want to take recharging to the next level, below are some outlets I've created to help you.
Even if you can't go to an ocean-side beach right now, let's go there virtually with this free 10-minute guided imagery meditation called ocean wave breathing. This meditation encourages you to let go of what’s been weighing you down to feel a renewed resilience.
Spend a half-day recharging yourself with a virtual retreat (free during the pandemic). This time is for you to focus on increasing your self-care, strengthening personal empowerment, finding more balance and creating a clear path ahead.
Treat yourself to a modestly priced personalized guided imagery meditation. A meditation will be written and recorded specially for you. Turnaround time is typically within a week, but the goal is to provide quality meditations as quickly as possible.