“I can’t believe it took me so long (during the pandemic) to start painting.” A number of my life coaching clients have the same observation about aspects of their life. It takes time to bring a new self care practice into your life, to create a new habit. Here are some observations and tips so that you can improve your life.
First: Be kind to yourself if it takes more time than you think it should. It just does. Keep at it. Persist.
As I reported in a recent post, I got a piano. Am I playing it? Yes. It’s easy, it’s play. It’s good for me, but I don’t really do it for that reason. It’s play.
Second: See if you can make the new practice feel like play? Give it a try.
Everyone already has a full day. Adding something will necessarily mean something else falls away.
For example: When I started to draw or paint on a daily basis, writing that I had done on a daily basis fell away. I had written 17 books in twenty to thirty minutes a day in the morning before my first client. Then I used the same time to draw and draw.
Adding in the piano, my art has fallen away. I trust that I’ll figure out how to do both. But you and I may need to let things go when we introduce new things.
My beloved physician, Vicky, suggested that I use guided imagery to handle stress. That was an easy practice, but very hard to fit in. I have found a slot to fit it in, and I have been doing it daily faithfully for over a year.
I somehow installed a regular daily meditation practice about 50 years ago. I have been doing strength training six days a week for decades now. Walking daily got added.
So, I know you can do it.
Third: Just start the practice somehow, somber in your schedule. Expect it to nudge other activities. Expect it to move around as you find the right fit. You’ll find one, I promise.
Currently, I am adding qigong (Chi Kung) as a way to heal a foot injury. Woof, so far I remember every other day or so. That’s not often enough to be effective. I’m in the creating a new practice phase. We’ll see where it settles out. Now, it looks like 4:00 PM
I made a reminder note so at least I could remember to do it. It helps. I also had to play with putting the note somewhere that would move me to practice.
- Make room.
- Keep experimenting.
- Leave yourself a note if that helps.
- Start as small as you can. You want the activity to be regular. You don’t need to walk 5 miles a day to start with. Just get outside once a day, or once every other day or whatever you choose.
- Start now.
May you walk in beauty,
William
P.S. People are enjoying life coaching by phone with me. They find it supportive and helpful in navigating this very weird year that started with an impeachment, then economic hardships for many, and ends with over 300,000 thousand dead. Consider how you might benefit from periodic half-hour phone consults. Contact me if you have questions.
P.P.S. Buddha brain… a reminder from a Harvard brain researcher of what’s possible each moment for each of us. Watch Stroke of Insight, Jill Bolte Taylor’s TED Talk. She’s clear and her story will move you.
P.P.P.S. Get one of my print books as a gift to yourself or a loved one.
Drawing the Sacred: Communing with the Sacred through Drawing – An Illustrated Journey Paper Back Version Kindle version
Sketching, Poetry, and the Sacred Present Moment: A Magically Potent Way To Savor Your Life Paper Back Version Kindle version
And my favorite
The Twenty Second Smile: Plus 97 More Engagingly Playful Strategies to Help you be Happy, Wild, and Free
Paperback Version –Very pretty book to own.
