I’m sure you’ve also heard the saying that words–our thoughts–matter. As a teacher, writer, and yogi (etc), I certainly agree with this and have tried to see it through in practice. However, starting through the pandemic and yet carrying on, I noticed that I kept using the term “survive.” I would think about surviving another meeting, getting through some task, etc.
I had already started to try and focus more on gratitude and considering that first, I usually had a pretty awesome time in the meeting (etc) and second, what would I miss if I had not been able to experience that task? While it helped, the turning point came after a passing in the family and my husband sharing a poem called “The Dash” with me.
Does this sound like a cheesy set-up? Yes. Did it actually, genuinely affect me? Also, yes. I’ve heard so many self-help-like recommendations about mindset and approaching life as if every day could be your last. It never really worked for me, because that is actually super depressing (to me) and just too big to wrap my head around.
For some reason, this hit me differently – maybe its just a minor twist, but it had a big impact. I started to ask, “What if this is the last time I got to do this?” What if you could never fold laundry again? Sure, that sounds awesome, but if you were unable to, it hits different – there’s the warmth of the clothes coming out of the dryer (maybe…usually they have sat for awhile, I’ve give you that), the kind of zen rhythm to folding, the satisfaction that you get from the visual of them going from a pile to neat stacks….
Perhaps that example is a stretch, but I get easily anxious about things and, ironically, it has helped to take some of that burden off. If its the last time, then I care a lot less about my performance or how I come across in comparison to really enjoying the moment and what goodness comes out of it – for myself and others.
So, if you’re feeling just a little yucky today, maybe give it go – does it feel any different? Do things take on a new meaning?
Making-Meanings 