Does This Make Sense?

Are you already feeling overloaded from all the planning for the New Year?

I get it.

Just like you, I have so many ideas and desires. How am I going to fit that in with all the responsibilities of work and family that are already a given?

Of course it is important to clarify at least one of your desires for the year and see how it can be organized into small action steps, so you can actually go ahead and implement them. Sitting back and waiting for your dreams come true is usually not the best way to manifest. Engaging and putting yourself into the flow of life is where the magic lies.

However, it’s also important to be present to each day as it unfolds. How can you increase the moments of joy and connection that you experience? When you are more often in a state of curiosity and of exploration, you will notice more clearly the opportunities that support you on your journey and be able to grab a hold of them.

We all know about the importance of gratitude or appreciations, breathing practices and of meditation in our daily life.

I have a fresh suggestion for you…

Take some short sensory breaks during the day. Our 5 senses include taste, sight, touch, smell, and sound. So much of our time our habitual focus lies with our hearing and seeing senses that we forget about taste, touch and smell a bit. Yes, they are present, but often run more as background support.

For short periods allow them to come more into the foreground. Pick some activities to consciously engage at least one of your senses. Even 30 seconds of being present to one of them will shift your experience.

Here are some suggestions:

Taste: Take a single piece of fruit or vegetable that you love to eat and chew it very slowly. Close your eyes. Notice the flavour. What specifically do you like about it? Can you name it? Let the experience spread from your mouth into your body. Let every cell absorb the pleasure.

Sight: Look at something that to you is beautiful: nature, art, a person or animal. What creates the uplift in yourself? Color, composition, presence? Let yourself absorb the experience and focus in particular on your heart.

Touch: Go into your closet and close your eyes. Touch different fabrics. Which ones do you love the most? Gently and lovingly, rub your favourite fabrics against your face and arms. Breathe the sensation deep into your body.

Smell: What smells do you enjoy the most? Explore your spices, soap and flowers. When dinner is served take a moment to close your eyes and breathe in the aromas, preparing your whole body to receive nourishing food.

Sound: When you go for a walk, spend some quiet time just listening to the birds, the rustle of winds, the sound of your foot steps or water moving. What all can you hear when you are still and focused on your environment? Is there more? What happens inside when you consciously open to hearing more of nature?

Do you already feel more relaxation in your body as you read this?

As you move into the New Year offer yourself the gift of being more connected to yourself. Bring the focus from all the distractions that arise around you back to yourself. A few seconds at a time…

Does it make sense to you?

Let us know below in your comments what you discovered.

If you find some challenges in creating these practices for yourself, let’s have a conversation and explore how I can support you in making this happen.