October's Word of the Month
by Linda Lee Sheldon on 09/29/14
October always makes me think of apples. Fresh, crisp apples! I know most of you are gearing up for cooler weather - unless you're in the southern hemisphere. But here in Southern CA it's a time of year when Mother Nature plays tricks on us. It's nice and Autumn-like one day then the winds come through the canyons the next day making for hot, windy, dry days. It's not uncommon for us to get into the 90s this time of year!
So the word of the month is... Adaptability - the ability to cope with the unexpected. With so much change happening so quickly in our lives these days the ability to adjust our actions, reactions and behavior is essential. It's easy to get thrown off balance when life throws us curve balls instead of what's expected. And this seems to be happening to many of us a lot lately.
And here's the secret weapon I use to combat all that rapid movement and change: The Centering Breath
Try to catch yourself when you feel overwhelmed by changes thrown at you. Stop what you're doing for just a minute or two, close your eyes and take a few slow deep breaths - in through the nose, out through the mouth. You can imagine a light coming down from above and moving straight through you to the center of the earth. It is very stabilizing. Or imagine a peaceful place like a garden or other beautiful nature setting. Then remind yourself that, "It is what it is. I know what to do." And remember that you DO know what to do. But you have to relax and let go of the resistance to see the new course of action.
It takes some practice but stopping and resetting our reaction allows us to adapt to life's many unexpected events. And if you live in Southern CA I recommend keeping both the summer and the autumn clothes handy! Enjoy your October!
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