Root Down to Spring Up Another winter has come and gone.
It is a beautiful bluebird day in Colorado. The days are stretching their arms growing longer with each sunset and the sun is melting the pristine snow into the earth, feeding the restless life waking from its winter slumber beneath Earth’s surface. As winter is tucking itself in and spring is slowly arising, a sense of transition is in the air. Spring is loaded with expectations of renewal, hope, life, and freshness. In order for our own growth to spring up through the surface and show itself in all of its glory, it is important to have rooted down into our strength, our own truth, and a compassion of self-acceptance of who we are. These roots remain unseen but are strongly felt. How do we get these strong roots? Some people are are blessed with strong roots due to functional, loving family life, health, and a positive perspective, others grow their roots with resilience, community support, and much tenacity in personal growth. These roots are our lifeline into our authenticity. They keep us rooted into our values, our identity and nourish our mind body and soul. When these roots are present and strong, it is easier to weather life’s storms with more ease and flexibility. When life brings storms of adversity and hardship, these roots will allow us to bend without breaking. 5 Tips to Strengthen your Roots in preparation for your Spring Bloom: 1. Know your internal compass and where it is pointing, then follow it! Take the time to explore your values and beliefs. What do you know is true for you? Define your values and align your actions with them. This will give you a sense of authentic integrity as you will be living a life that is in accordance with your personal truth. 2. Recognize when you are wondering far from your path, and gently re-direct. Bringing a sense of compassionate awareness will help you recognize when you are starting to get off route. The “compassionate” part is extremely important, as it allows you to objectively notice when you are getting off course without self-loathing and judgement. This gentleness is a practice of love and light rather than darkness and punishment. It is important to look at yourself with soft eyes and gently nudge yourself towards home. 3. Get into a ritual of self-care Find out what you need to feel good and do it. A universal prescription of eating healthy, getting regular exercise, getting adequate sleep, minimizing stress and optimizing relationships and purpose through work or school are a great place to start. Even slight changes can create major shifts in your life. Whether you take 15 minutes in the morning to sip tea quietly, do yoga, take a long shower, meditate, walk, call a friend or family member regularly, play music, make yourself a nice meal, schedule a social date, schedule a lone date, or read a book, find something that you can commit to. I ask people what is a “non-negotiable ritual” they already have in place. For me, I brush and floss my teeth every morning and night. Pick a time to do self-care and commit to doing it weekly (if not daily). 4. Show up Humans function best when we feel useful, needed, important and driven by a purpose. Whatever it is that you do, find purpose in it and show up. Sometimes getting to work or finding the energy to go to the gym or get in the mood for sex can feel daunting and overwhelming. Yet, once we get there we rarely regret the workout, the shared intimacy or fulfilling a role in which provides us with meaning. Find an environment that values you as a person as well as your skill set and start engaging in that environment. 5. Visualize what you want Figuring out what you want, where you want to go, who you want to be, and who you want to be with are extremely challenging and fun ventures. Exploring what it is that really makes you tick and creating a vision of what you want your life to look like will help you find the steps to get there. Knowing what you want is powerful. Having direction, focus, and drive will propel you to step into your best self. Knowing what you want is not always so simple, as it tends to be a moving target, shifting and changing as you grow. Knowing what you want is important but also having the flexibility to adapt and modify your goals as you and your vision evolve. For more information or support strengthening your root foundation, please call or email to schedule. [email protected]
1 Comment
david
3/3/2017 06:00:27 am
important thoughts and you expressed them well
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AuthorAuburn R. Meisner is a LCSW, CST specializing in Sex & Relationship Therapy Archives
March 2021
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