Consciously Connecting

I N T R O D U C T I O N

In the age of technology we have become disconnected at a cellular level. The time to reconnect to ourselves and each other is now!

One of my many wake-up calls came in the middle of Central Park when I was more interested in emails than enjoying the beauty of my surroundings. Heck, I could not tell you what was happening five feet in front of me. Considering that my usual radar extends nearly a mile, in all directions, this was some strange new territory that was becoming all too familiar. It is common practice for many in New York City to stop random strangers from walking into traffic, due to their momentary disconnection, and I too have been saved from what could have been a catastrophic collision with a swiftly passing taxi or bus on more than a few occasions. And while at the point of full disclosure, I have also been one of those drivers more interested in emails and texting than the road before me—literally and figuratively. It’s understood that technology is here to stay, but like everything in life it is about balance, and the scales have tipped on this one…..

HOW TO U S E TH I S BOOK

Change is about having intent and acting on it. That’s it. You will be best served by this book if you view it as guidance and not structure for your life. Do what you can; if you miss a week it is okay, as nothing immediately ties together. Yet, as in life—everything ties together. This is not about feeling guilt or shame about what you haven’t done; this is about inner connectedness to yourself and others! What matters now is where you are going and your state of connection when you arrive. Very little time is needed to read each week’s message.

The exercises do not need to take a lot of time either. It’s more about being in your zone of connection on a daily basis without a huge list of to-do’s. The concept is to stick with the same mind-set and exercise for the entire week. You may spend thirty seconds, ten minutes, or an hour; it is your choice. And it is okay to have that amount of time change weekly…..

J A N U A R Y

Commencement on Reflection

Vow to view January in a new way this year. While this month can be filled with the pressure to start over, begin again, and create lots of new beginnings, laugh at how you have put too much heaviness on yourself in the past, and look at this month with fresh eyes. Year after year it is easy to bite the same hook because you have been programmed to look at January with a specific mind-set. Step away from seeing January as the only time of year to have new beginnings and something great. Understand that something new and something great happen every day, January included, if you are willing to be open and accessible. The truth is that new beginnings and starting over happen when you wake up, with every new project, and in every moment you choose to look at things differently. As you connect deeper within, you begin to realize those are your moments; those are your beginnings……

First Sunday in January: Reflect on Slowing Down

So often you may be rushing to get from one place to the next completely unaware of the need to slow down. It is all too easy to get involved with a myriad of lists for projects that need to be completed at home or work, friends you need to call, and all the other infinite things that should be accomplished by Tuesday—of last week. There comes a point where life cannot be just one big checklist you are rushing to finish. 

I lovingly call Wayne "turtle" because he is so slow. At any given time I can be five or eight feet ahead of him while doing errands. His reason for moving slower is that it gives him time for something unexpected or to discover something new. His argument is compelling. By hurrying errands we miss out on many discoveries by moving so quickly. From his viewpoint we can do a mix of chores while uncovering unintended, unexpected treasures.

January is the perfect time to slow down and reassess how to move through this year at a calmer and more relaxed pace. Use this week to reevaluate where you want to redirect your energy. It takes courage to redefine, or possibly define for the first time, what your boundaries need to be in order to slow the pace down and step off the spinning merry-go-round. It is common to feel that if you slow down the world will stop. But give it a try.

When I was little I had pregnant guppies in a fishbowl. One evening as my non-aquatic family was heading to a football game, I strolled over to the fishbowl only to discover a baby guppy swimming in the water. Since guppies eat their babies, we had no choice but to wait it out. We found ourselves immersed in the joy and fascination of guppy birth for the next forty-five minutes. We were forced to slow down and arrived late to the game, but we had truly enjoyed the surprise of the moment. There are great gifts and experiences to be had if you let yourself slow down.

This week reflect on areas where you need to slow down and make the commitment to do so. As you find yourself rushing through every task at hand, choose to put on the brakes. Allow for one quality phone call to a friend instead of rushing through four calls that don’t have much content but hurriedly get the job done. Maybe you’ll opt to enjoy a sunset—the whole sunset and not just one minute—or connect to preparing a meal and focusing on the nourishment it provides.

Acknowledge that when you try to fit too many things into a day, you are missing out on something: your life. Work on connecting to the project, the journey, the moment, and not the end result, which will arrive regardless of the speed chosen. Time doesn’t move any quicker just because you do. When you slow down you are more connected and in sync, and as a result you can easily connect to the gifts waiting that may otherwise speed right by!

You do not have to run all the time. Give yourself permission to take a stroll.

See you next week.