Your Magenta Monday Magic.
So there I was, feeling lonely, sad, and meh. 😢
I’d found myself in a creative desert – my writing and painting on pause for lack of inspiration.
My usual fail-safes for exiting a funk – solo dance party, hula hooping, exercise, daily walks – weren’t really working. They pulled me out momentarily, but I kept slipping right back in.
I felt as if this dark period was never going to end. It reminded me of the days back in high school when I would lament to friends how I couldn’t stop eating chocolate, felt like crying all the time, and that my pants were too tight. I seemed to have no idea why – until my period arrived…. just as it did every month.
I’m not sure what happened in the weeks in-between to make me forget. You’d think that at some point I would have put 2 and 2 together, and come to expect the same thing every month.
It’s much the same when I fall into a funk.
Each one arrives unexpectedly, looking a little different than the last time. I like to think of a funk as a stranger showing up at my door, and leaving me feeling wary, fearful, anxious, unsure why she’s here, or how long she’ll stay.
She comes in and makes herself comfortable, taking up valuable real estate in my brain.
She reminisces nostalgically about how great the past was.
She talks about the future and how it won’t be quite as shiny and bright.
She shares her opinions on my weaknesses and what I could be doing better..
She is a nightmare guest. And it feels like she will NEVER leave. 😨
Eager to find a way to evict her this time, I turned to gratitude as a way to stop looking back and worrying forward – as a way to force myself to focus on the present.
If I was present instead of listening to my guest, maybe I could work my way through this and get back to joyful living.
It was worth a try.
Each morning, I journaled about what I was grateful for. At first it felt like a stretch. After all, when everything feels a little gray, it takes a minute to flip that mindset and look for the light. This is not about ignoring those feelings and plastering a smile on your face.
I started with the basics of what I was grateful for: the health of my family and myself, having a supportive partner like my husband, having a roof over our heads.
I took a moment to sit with those feelings so I could really get present with them, rather than just letting them roll off my tongue like I was checking things off my grocery list.
I pictured my body moving with ease on my morning walks and thanked it for its strength in the gym. I envisioned my kids – healthy and happy as they lived their lives. I thought about the ways my husband has supported me throughout the years – even if sometimes it looked a little different than what I thought I wanted. I saw myself and my family, cozy in our respective homes, with food and warmth and a soft bed to sleep in at night.
As I practiced this exercise, I felt the gray lift just a little, letting in the faintest ray of light. ⛅
The next morning, I got up and did it again. I noticed that the way I was engaging with my husband with this reminder of my appreciation for him was kinder and more compassionate. Little by little, the gray receded further and further. And little by little, joy started to creep back into my heart, bringing me closer to the essence of joyful living.
Little by little the gray receded further and further. And little by little joy started to creep back into my heart.
Brené Brown has researched this phenomenon. She found that ‘without exception, every person I interviewed who described living a joyful life or who described themselves as joyful, actively practiced gratitude and attributed their joyfulness to their gratitude practice.’
Without. Exception.
Wow. That’s powerful stuff.
Monday Mindshift
It’s the 1° shift that makes the biggest difference over time.
Continue with the daily practice of gratitude that we started last week. If you haven’t been consistent – no worries! Start right now – take a minute to name at least one thing you’re grateful for. Spend some time thinking about that thing and get really present to why it’s such a gift.
Then, do the same thing tomorrow. And the next day. And the next day. Take note of the moments where you’re feeling more joy as you notice the little things that you may have been taking for granted.
Keep actively practicing gratitude, and embrace the journey of joyful living. Remember, joyful living is built on appreciating the small moments and cultivating a mindset of gratitude.
Living BRIGHTer is...
B - Be Brave
R - Cultivate Relationships
I - Live with Intention
G - Practice Gratitude
H - Prioritize Health
T - Live your Truth
What is Magenta?
The color magenta is one of universal harmony and emotional balance. It is spiritual yet practical, encouraging common sense and a balanced outlook on life. Magenta helps to create harmony and balance in every aspect of life; physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
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