By Dr. Bryan Hawley
By doing something every day for the body, mind and spirit, we can better savor all that life has to offer.
Most of us are starting to see the sunshine and smell the fresh sent of spring in the air. I personally love the cusp of changing seasons because I can really feel the energetic shift virtually drawing me outdoors. There is nothing like stepping outside in the springtime on the fresh grass barefoot and just feeling the energy move through me. Or, after a long day at work dealing with stressful situations, I just let it all go by taking a walk in the forest. I know many of you understand what I am talking about and probably have some form of ritual yourself around springtime.
However, have you ever found yourself out of balance or out of sync at this time of year? Like waves that come and go, sometimes we get so caught up in the world—trying to make ends meet, attending social gatherings, running errands and doing a host of other things—that we forget our spiritual side.
On the other hand, if you’re like me you can get so caught up in the spiritual side of life— walking through the woods, doing meditation or just going with the flow feeling perfectly Zen—that you don’t want to do the things that we all need to do such as paying the bills, running errands, etc.
I find this happening quite often or, to be honest, maybe as I’m getting older I just notice it more. There is a contrast between the two sides of my world that I can pick up on rather easily now, and maybe you’re feeling it too. We are in a state of flux moving back and forth, dipping our toes in each side of the pond so to speak. And that’s OK; maybe that’s the way it should be. We are on a journey of discovery with the opportunity to help others along the way. How boring would it be if there was no contrast in our lives?
What I have done over the past 10 years or so is to try to keep a balance between body, mind and spirit, and to constantly practice my daily routines. On nice days you will find me going for a nature walk, or walking barefoot on my lawn. (Sure the neighbors think I’m funny but, what the heck, we are here to have fun.) I also make a list of the things that I need to get accomplished every day, such as the daily chores, tasks, work, life consultations, and I check those off as my day goes along. I set aside 20 minutes every afternoon to take a power nap. I find that recharges me and gets the creative juices flowing in the afternoon instead of having a lull. Then there’s personal development for nourishing the mind.
Every day I try to set aside time to work on myself, either watching educational videos, reading books or reading online articles. I have found through daily meditation, nature walks, scheduling tasks, taking a nap and allocating time for personal development I am more stable and in balance in all areas of my life. By doing something every day for the body, mind and spirit, I can better savor all that life has to offer and be of service for those around me.
Even with this approach I still notice the back and forth struggle of living a full life, but I think that’s the way it’s supposed to be. I hope if you’re feeling this, too, or catch yourself getting pulled to one side more than the other remember my advice: Do something for your body, something for your mind and something from your spirit every day. This creates a more Zen-like vibe that others will pick up on and gravitate toward.
So this spring I hope you get to run out in your yard barefoot and make your neighbors laugh, but at the same time pick up some personal development books, schedule those tasks and check them off every day.
“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.” —Thomas Merton
Dr. Bryan is a published author, national speaker, and personal growth consultant. He also owns an online digital marketing agency and has created a simple online course on digital marketing to help other coaches, and authors break out into the world and reach audiences. You can find out more on his website http://www.drbryanhawley.com
or email directly at info@drbryanhawley.com.