Some beliefs and values that have deepened over the past month or so (during Covid-19 times):
-It REALLY is about the simple things after all. Right now I want to feel the warmth of the sunshine on my face, smell the salty sea air, have deep belly laughs with my friends, hug a loved one, enjoy a cafe americanó in the Malaga sunshine, hop into a car and drive aimlessly while belting out some 90’s love ballads, and feel my toes in the sand. Connection and nature. All simple things. I want to continue to build my life around the simple moments.
-Building a slow and intentional life is about removing all the access. All those things that don’t really matter. All the junky junk. And crafting a life that has your values at the forefront of your heart and mind. Building a life that is yours (based on your values, priorities, wiring, season of life you’re in, needs, and life vision) isn’t easy but with each wobbly step you feel yourself living more in integrity and realize that’s one of the most important things we can gift ourselves (and others). This has been a reminder for me our need to get back to the basics….spending time with family or the people we live with, cooking at home, removing distractions, getting our hands dirty in our gardens, and getting creative.
-I share a lot about acceptance and I gotta say, this is one of the biggest lessons I’ve ever had with accepting what is. Acceptance of this situation. Accepting that there’s not a whole lot I have control over. Acceptance of my feelings and energy levels. Acceptance of the things I wish were different right now. Acceptance of how others are responding to this. Accepting that these are really unfortunate times and there’s not a whole lot I can do, but I can do something and that’s enough. Accepting this season of life we are in and knowing it will pass just like the others.
-I can still find joy even in the simple and mundane. Right now I’m finding joy in making a matcha latte (latest obsession), chasing the sunlight around my flat and feeling the warmth, connecting with loved ones around the world (some friends I haven’t spoken to in years!), escaping with a good novel, cooking and baking with simple ingredients, creating new Spotify playlists, dreaming up of future road trips and traveling, and bitting into warm fresh bread from the neighborhood bakery. Again, joy is in the simple things and certainly can be found in the seemingly ordinary and mundane.
-It’s okay to feel joy AND sadness at once. It’s okay to heal AND grieve. We can laugh AND feel brokenhearted. We can be afraid AND still feel hopeful. There are many different feelings coming up right now and that’s all completely normal. You are a human who feels. I’m reminded of the importance to create space for these feelings and allow them to be felt, rather than ignoring, repressing, numbing, or using false positivity to bypass them. We are confronted with ourselves and can be brave and strong as we accept and feel what comes up. This is season to heal and restore our hearts.
-Hope and optimism. I think without these two things, it would be hard to get up in the morning sometimes. I’ve had to dig especially deep these days to find hope and optimism. Some days have been hard while others have been relatively easy. And that’s okay. Remember, acceptance. Hope helps us persevere. Hope gets us out of bed in the mornings. It helps us take showers, eat healthy foods, move our bodies, and take care of ourselves properly. Hope reminds us of times when life was full of joy and that it can be like that again. Hope helps us be resilient knowing that we can go through hard seasons, but we will be okay in the end.
What about you….what beliefs or values have been strengthened during this past month or so?