I woke up in a good mood, but it shifted when I started reading the articles and posts coming from everywhere, all of them laden with the rising tension among people that is escalating with the ongoing quarantine. There are endless opinions and cautionary statistics stacked up against people’s desires to open businesses and exercise daily freedoms. It’s enough to make anyone feel blue. But I know better than to keep reading too much of the news or all the Facebook posts. Instead, I do the things I need to do to center myself. I take a long walk, I listen to uplifting music or podcasts, I clean or organize or I do something creative. These are just a few of the tools I use to hit my reset button.
I wrote about the art of seeking a state of ananda, which is a Sanskrit word for inner bliss. It is a state of contentment that is difficult to maintain in challenging times especially because there is a lot of personal and collective suffering in the world right now. What I try to do is to see in every difficulty that we’ve been presented with an opportunity to practice a state of gratitude and find the joy that exists deep within, regardless of external circumstances. It’s an extremely challenging mental exercise, but one that helps me get through each day. What tools do you turn to to keep your spirits up?
Favorite links from the week:
This beautiful color palette in a styled “wedding by the sea”.
I got 10 out of 11. How good is your color vision? Take this test.
Darlene’s family daily theme posts are so great!
I love working with resin, this is another happy DIY project to try!
9 virtual escape rooms to break out of with family and/or friends.
Homemade bird feeders to make to attract feathered friends.
Tips and techniques for garden transplanting.
Change up your grill routine with these 30 side dish recipes.
Why the Scandinavian countries continue to rank the “happiest” in the world.
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Be well friends! xo
