Connect with Your God

Do you at times, feel fearful, depressed, angry, insecure or immobilized with life work challenges? Firstly, realize you are not alone. This bubbling brew of emotions is called being human. Ever-growing numbers of people are being forced into career change, long for a career change or are facing a myriad of life challenges – all exacerbated by our fast-paced world.

However, our journey is about more than work transitions or what our surface problems appear to be. We are being called upon to find “The Way” to navigate through life’s ever-shifting experiences with more peace, compassion and acceptance. The best career decisions or goals achieved cannot buy us happiness. Simple practice, like returning to the calm place within ourselves, helps us find more peace in life – despite the ever-changing fortunes of time. Herein, we grow our beings and our connection to our God.

Learn to be O.K. with Your Life Now

The place to begin is right where we are. Rather than trying to avoid, or be rid of difficult, painful feelings, we begin working with what is – in this very moment. We begin by letting wherever we feel be O.K; and hence, begin cultivating acceptance and compassion for our precious selves. We begin with small, gentle goals we can meet, that work on all aspects of our life.

Below are some simple practices you can weave into your daily life – however busy – offering lasting positive change. Commit to this practice for at least three months and notice the subtle changes that occur as you return, again and again, to yourself and to your God.

These are so important for our mental, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being, as well as key to positive change. Begin with what you can, but begin… Print…. Ponder…. Practice….

Five Practices for Positive Change

1. Practice Transformative Ten Breath Countdowns. As frequently as you can, practice breathing in and out, counting down from ten - on each successive out breath - to one. By practicing this countdown throughout each day it becomes a powerful tool for re-grounding ourselves when strong emotions arise, helping us to prevent over-reacting to circumstances.

2. Meditate Twice Daily. Do not get hung up on this word or be discouraged by the grocery list, new shoes for the kids, your work/marriage problems, or whatever incessantly pops up as you begin sitting with yourself. It is O.K.. Simply, gently, acknowledge your feelings and let the thoughts go. We are simply sitting with ourselves – just as we are. Focus lightly on your breath coming in and going out. “Letting go now. Relaxing now. Trusting now.” Also, try laying flat on your back on the floor, quietly letting thoughts go, coming back to your breathing for at least five or ten, or more minutes twice a day. We are aligning our body, mind and spirit.

3. Observe Your Thoughts. Sitting with ourselves quietly helps us become aware of what is going on in our mind. Practice this awareness as much as you can throughout the day. When feeling distressed, depressed, upset… take note of your thoughts. A mind where thoughts are allowed to run wild is likely not a safe place to be alone in! Most of us have a pit full of negativity and criticism that can make a hell of heaven if we allow these thoughts to run unobserved. We need to feel our feelings but let the story-line we tell ourselves go. Simply come back to your breathing, to your ten breath countdown, to your God. Be gentle and accepting of yourself, your situation and feelings – no matter what!!

4. Exercise Regularly. This means at least a good twenty minute walk, three times a week. You can build up the pace, length and number of times per week as you continue. This is not a fitness march. By walking mindfully – stopping and smelling the roses – we exercise our body, mind and soul.

5. Practice Being O.K. with Uncertainty and Not Knowing. Poet, Rainer Maria Rilke, puts it best saying, "I beg you to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers, which could not be given you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without ever noticing it, live your way into the answer."