there are days, sometimes weeks, even months . . .
i just feel tired.
sad, old, a bit used up.
off my rhythm.
i don’t eat well or exercise enough,
my health is compromised,
my hair lacks luster.
and there are no new ideas.
i can’t make decisions quickly or easily.
i forget and screw up and speak out of turn.
my head aches, throbbing with knowledge
i cannot shape or alter.
and my eyes literally feel as if they’ve
seen too much of the world.
the sparkle i count on to sustain me
is missing.
my emotions, interests, dreams, and thoughts
are all over the place.
the wish to rein them in, to harness a few, is great.
during these times, i need sleep.
i need the familiar faces of people i love.
i need gentle touches.
i need to wrap myself in comfort
and let my mind wander where it may,
not forcing its performance.
silence. wholeness. rest.
i forgive myself the unfinished laundry,
the impatience with an aging dad,
my untouched work.
the feeble attempts to change
what cannot be changed.
the inability to erase
errors and mistakes.
still so much to do and see and experience,
to capture and become.
will i have the energy required to contain it all?
will i emerge victorious in the end?
here are five quotes that help me through these dry spells,
these stumbling blocks in my sinuous journey.
because i will of course continue.
i never really imagined otherwise.
arise.
climb the stairs.
soak up the sunshine.
maneuver the twists and turns.
prevent capsizing.
always move away from the shore.
don’t waste your time chasing perfection.
realize your unique abilities.
strive to be your very best self.
keep going.
begin again.
never give up.
recognize the challenges before you.
find the strength inside of you.
face that mountain.
how do you encourage yourself?
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This is so good April! and so true! I allow myself to wallow for a bit (a short bit) and then I really just give myself a pep talk. Sometimes lovingly other times it’s more of a kick in the ass. I don’t force myself to create, I just wait it out and imagine that I’m being gifted with some time to simply reflect and not “do”.
i love this April. So soothing and great comments to the quotes.” let my mind wander where it may,
not forcing its performance” is so releasing!! So much resonated at this time.. thank you. Beautiful.
Great post! When I need to encourage myself, I look at what is working and what isn’t. See if perhaps there is a block in myself. I know the spark is always there, it’s just figuring out how to get to it. Life is way too short not to spend it shining!
THIS:
“still so much to do and see and experience,
to capture and become.
will i have the energy required to contain it all?”
AND THIS:
these stumbling blocks in my sinuous journey…
because i will of course continue.
i never really imagined otherwise.
I can’t relate to this enough. As someone who loves and feels deeply, I am often bothered by feelings of not-enoughness, and paralyzed by the thought that there won’t be enough time/energy to do my part in the world. When I encounter thoughts like this, I take it as a reminder to step outside of myself and meditate on any out-of-focus feelings I have. It usually doesn’t remove the anxiety right away but it points out the things I need more work on — clarity. That’s better than nothing.
Reading quotes, too, is another way I help myself deal with it. I have some favorites that I come back to time and again. Thank you for these, I think I’ll add them to my list!
I have gotten to the point where I can let the ebbs & flows of life run their course simply knowing that ‘this to shall pass’. The more I try to fight my way out the longer it seems to take. Slipping into a routine and being gentle with myself helps me through the feeling of being lost. Make sense??