This is the most recent #Go52 post for almost a month. Our last post detailed, what happens when nice erupts. This week's #Go52 theme is Centered - something that benefits us all.
“The highest levels of performance come to people who are centered, intuitive, creative, and reflective - people who know to see a problem as an opportunity.” Deepak Chopra
I lost my center. I had it, then allowed it to slip from my fingers. It didn't happen overnight. It was more of a gradual process. In losing my center, my writing nearly stopped completely. I wrote a post in Mid-May, but didn’t post it until today. It explains the "why" behind my writing hiatus. You can read that here.
I’ve spent the last few weeks finding my center again. I allowed my balance to get out of whack and the results were not fun. It was, however, a good reminder for me to practice what I teach. So let's review why being centered is important and then, how we can find it (if we lost it) and nurture it (once found).
What Needs Centering?
You do. I do. We all do. Being centered is about finding appropriate balance. It's about standing in your confidence. It's about serenity.
I'm not sure about you, but I would much rather walk around confident, balanced, and at peace than off-kilter, uncertain and frazzled. Think about the last time you felt even one of those creep into your body. I'll speak for me. I was ready to reject it like Dikembe Mutombo protecting the rim on the basketball court in the 1990s.
So how do you get back to calm, balance, and confident?
How to Find Your Center
Be Still: within the stillness and the quiet, you’ll find yourself focusing less on the stresses of the moment and more on your breathing. Your body may feel heavy initially, but eventually you'll no longer notice the physical weight. There, in the still, in the calm, in the absence of stress, is your center. It is not always easy to find. But, like anything, it gets easier with practice.
Yoga helps. Meditation helps. Prayer helps (if you are a believer). What we're attempting to get you back to is a place that is calm, serene, and one that allows you to reflect on your whole self or what wholeness feels (and looks) like to you.
Think about what has worked for you in the past, then do that...consistently. Create a space for it. Prioritize time for it. Make it an important and non-negotiable part of your day. Finding your center strengthens your spirit. So, treat this process like royalty.
Nurturing Your Center
You’ve found it! Now how do you stand firmly rooted and centered?
Create a Routine: make it a regular part of your day. Morning yoga. Evening meditation. Morning run. Thirty minute workout. Gardening. Humming in reflection with the sound of your electric toothbrush before bed. Whatever works for you, turn it into a habit.
Just like anything that needs regular maintenance, periodic check-ups will help to ensure that your routine is still working to maintain your center. Sometimes we get so swept up in our routines that we forget the purpose of or why behind our actions.
Allow for regular intermissions to refresh how intentional your efforts are and keep your performing at your best.
What do you do to find or nurture your center? Leave us a note below.
C. L. Fails