Stop, pause, let go, reset

Yesterday I really needed to slow way down and calm the anxiety that had built over several days of not accomplishing as much as I would have liked. Normally, I like to have a plan for the most part to stay on track but due to an office move at work, any plans made were complicated by a number of factors and more stress than normal ensued. It all needed to be dealt with yesterday.

I woke up with a migraine headache that affected my vision somewhat as well as my mood. I recognized that I had a headache so I didn’t jump to any other conclusions but my patience and tolerance was much less than normal. I went about my morning routine but with some confusion and frustration. After letting tears flow for a few minutes while I stood in my driveway, I dropped my toddler off at daycare and proceeded to drive to work. Only a few minutes into my drive, after being in direct sunlight did I realize my headache was worse than I thought, so I called work saying I would be late, drove to a nearby café and bought juice and a cookie. Then I sat in my car and tried to relax making sure to take some deep breaths as I ate. I turned off the car radio and closed my eyes.

The image that almost immediately came in view was of a tree without any leaves, maybe four feet tall, surrounded by a patch of white snow on the ground in the middle of an expanse of dirt ground. As stark as the tree was, I was captivated by it. Its small trunk and bare branches showed resilience in the face of harsh winter weather as illustrated by the rest of the scene. I knew that when the sun appeared again and the temperatures became warmer, it would grow new leaves and project beauty to all around. I opened my eyes and my thoughts were no longer scattered. It had taken only a matter of minutes for me to restore a competent and calm state of being once I took it upon myself to let go of the reins, even if only for a few minutes. It didn’t matter that I was sitting in a car in the middle of a shopping center parking lot with sounds of traffic and shopping carts being pushed in the periphery. I was able to focus, regain control of my thoughts, recognize my slower breathing and be thankful for having the rest of my day before me. Had I plowed ahead with my daily list of things to be done with little regard for my own health, I probably would have wound up doing myself more harm than good.

Today take at least five minutes for yourself to reset. Perhaps you can walk instead of driving to pickup lunch or sit in your car for a few minutes before going into an appointment. How do you slow down to reset? Do you have a favorite place to meditate or unwind?

I look forward to reading your comments.