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Remembering our humanness is where our freedom lies.  Spring is upon us here in the Midwest. After the twists and turns of this past winter, I hope all of you are getting a chance to welcome the return of light and warmth.
Today, I want to speak to the trend of valuing productivity, efficiency, busy-ness, and impeccable performance that we've been seeing in our culture for some time. How do you notice these themes showing up for you in your life? Do they effect the expectations you have of yourself, and those that others have of you? Many of the aforementioned qualities are valuable things, of which our society is well aware. But what happens when we forget to hold these values in relationship with other qualities? What happens when those values hold dominion over others like connection, rest, play, and humility? As our culture has become more rooted in productivity and performance, and our fascination with technology has grown, I wonder if, on a certain level, many of us have forgotten what we are. Many of us are trying to stay competitive so we work long hours without rest or nourishment. When we feel grumpy, sick, or impatient, frustration with ourselves mounts because it gets in the way of our "to do list". I mean, "Why can't we just get over it already?!" So we often push through the feelings, tiredness, or pain, hoping it will clear up on its own. We tell ourselves, if only we do better, the "problem" will go away. If you find yourself grappling through a similar process, I'm here to remind you today that you are NOT a robot! There is so much more to you than how much you can accomplish, and how "good" you are at what you do, and how few errors you make. We are not designed to be productive. We are meant to live. We are human. To be human is to be dynamic. We feel. Some days we are in a funk. Some days we feel so much joy we think we might burst. There are days where we can fly through the things we wish to accomplish. There are days when we lay on the couch and binge watch Netflix, or just goof around with the kids, eat pancakes, and nothing gets done. I say all this, so you remember its okay to go easier on yourself. Maybe we are more efficient, and effective, when we allow ourselves the room to experience the messy, and beautiful aspects of life that don't fit neatly into our box, that sometimes throw the whole agenda askew. Perhaps, it's worth finding out. How are you going to embrace your humanness today? With Kindness, Sarah P.S. Share about your experience with productivity, expectations, and honoring your humanness below. I look forward to hearing from you.
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"Is love available even here?"  The lake near our home this rainy Thanksgiving morning. As we all go about our respective activities today, I invite you to take a moment to breathe.
How are you doing? Really. How are you? Check in to feel/see/hear if you are being honest with yourself as you answer that. You are allowed to be experiencing whatever it is that is occurring within you. You may grant yourself permission. When you set aside all the "shoulds", "I wish I were this, I wish he were that, I wish things were different...", the parts of you that think you have done something wrong, or are not enough, or the fears that what you are experiencing won't (or will) last, what is there? Notice sensations in your body, emotions, and your thoughts. On Thanksgiving, our minds shift to gratitude, which is healing in itself. But, if we are not in a space where we genuinely feel grateful, where we can't authentically access it, we feel worse. We are faking it. So what do you genuinely feel? Whether you feel brimming with gratitude, exhausted, grieving, content, frustrated or anywhere in between, call it what it is. Allowing the space to feel what you feel without trying to make anything different is giving yourself the gift of acceptance. As you begin to give and receive this within yourself, what do you notice? As you go about this Thanksgiving day, I invite you to continually check in with yourself, and tune into your heart asking, "Is love available to me even here?" If you feel inspired to share your experience with this, I would love to hear from you. Send me an email or write your comments below. Many blessings, Sarah |
Sarah Barlow
Reiki Master Teacher and Owner of Embrace Your Essence Sign up for our E-Letters Here
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