Self-Grace

Self-Kindness

Self-Care

Mind-at-Ease

As a new year approaches, I always intented to take time to ponder my direction, set goals and commit intentions…but somehow I get caught up in daily-doing of the last few weeks of the year and DON’T.

A few years ago a theme started to arise in different areas of my life…a direction I was drawn to evolve in.  It happen so frequently it became a mantra.

I tend to push myself to expand…but gone unchecked that character habit can be an unsupportive practice.  It can keep me from resting, from relaxing my mind, and from recuperating.

I realized I needed time and practice in Forgiving myself.

• Forgiving myself for missing a workout.
• Forgiving myself for not cooking my son something different so he wasn’t bored.
• Forgiving myself for taking a catnap in the middle of the day.
• Forgiving myself for not calling my mom and telling her how much I love her.
• Forgiving myself for not studying.
• Forgiving myself for not putting away the folded laundry.

My list could go on and on.

But then I decided … this year will be the Year of  Self-Grace.

Whenever I would NOT do something that I thought “I should’ve”, I said to myself…it’s OK, I’m practicing Self-Grace.

My year of Self-Grace ended becoming 2 years because this one took a while to get down.  I had a lifetime of beating myself up.  The grace didn’t come reflexively yet …so I just kept practicing until one day the Grace was more natural than the Guilt.

The next year my theme became Self-Kindness and Self-Care.  Learning to love and appreciate ME and taking intentional steps to enhance my health in ways I hadn’t in the past…not putting it off.

Recently I’ve noticed how much I get stuck in worrying.  In 2012, I’ll be learning how to Keep My Mind At-Ease…to stop perseverating on the unnecessary.

I embark on a new mantra…My Mind is At Ease.

I encourage you to notice an area that keeps coming up for you.  Keep in simple.  Practice…but be kind to yourself.  Replace the unsupportive thought/habit/action with one that feels better, more nourishing.

Thrive!

(Photo: My son in the Vitality-pose on the top of East Cuesta Grade, 12/28/11)