Greetings to all my vibrant people! It's been SIX long months since I've blogged. I’ve been meaning to update you on my life, but every time I think to do it, something else jumps in the way. Myself, my family, healthy habits, our businesses, being graphically and musically creative, photoshoots, and my dissertation occupies ALL my time. Nonetheless, writing has become a therapeutic practice, so I have to be diligent about making the time.
You know, it dawned on me that I haven't written about the incredible life lessons I've learned since I resigned from my job. It seems so long ago that I resigned, and no matter how much fear and self-doubt have crept in, those feelings are eased with Divine Intervention. I can't describe it any other way. And when all the fear and self-doubt melt away, I have just plugged forward. I love this space I'm in.
Free. Flowing. Happy. Loving. Glowing. Confident. Unapologetic.
Here are the first 5 life-changing lessons I learned since I resigned from my job:
1. The present moment is the greatest gift and holds a magnitude of peace.
Simply put, I'm practicing existing in the PRESENT moment. I've spent so much time and energy with others around me focused on the past and me being professionally focused on the future...I rarely could be mindful of the present moment. I never felt like I had the luxury of just sitting in the present. Yet, we as a collective never have the future or the past in the present moment, so why do we put energy there?
The abundant peace I presently l have with life right now is such a gift to me. In his book A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose, Eckhart Tolle writes, "The present moment is the field on which the game of life happens. It cannot happen anywhere else. Once you have made peace with the present moment, see what happens, what you can do or choose to do, or rather what life does through you. There are three words that convey the secret of the art of living, the secret of all success and happiness: One With Life. Being one with life is being one with Now. You then realize that you don't live your life, but life lives you. Life is the dancer, and you are the dance" (p. 73).
2. There's art in Being instead of Doing.
Ever since I was a kid, I was trained to DO. In my home, all through the school system, and even in my career, I was mostly DOING instead of BEING. And for a creative person like myself, that was draining my life force. My spiritual energy lasted for 14 years, but when I found myself needing to consistently be in complete silence on my drive home, I became aware that something needed to change. So now, I've found a space of BEING, and it brings me authentic joy. Eckhart Tolle says, "The joy of Being, which is the only true happiness, can not come to you through any form, possession, achievement, person, or event – through anything that happens. That joy cannot come to you – ever. It emanates from the formless dimension within you, from consciousness itself, and thus is one with who you are" (A New Earth, p. 131).
3. Quiet is better than loud.
My life has always had a fast pace. I don't even think I was mindful of how fast-paced it actually was until it came to a screeching halt. And my teaching career has always had a fast pace because, as a teacher, I was always trying to be ahead of my students...all teachers can relate. But, a fast-paced career can take a toll on the body. And I didn't realize how much it did until I stopped. And I certainly didn't realize how LOUD life was until it was quiet. I was feeding off others' energies, and I didn't know how to energize myself. So, over the course of this past year, I've been learning to sit in silence. It was terribly uncomfortable at first, but sitting in silence has been one of the best things to ever happen to me.
4. Self-Reflection is key.
This ties in with the last lesson, as they go hand in hand. You can only be reflective, meditative, and contemplative when you quiet your mind. The best way to quiet the mind is to connect to your breath. Connecting to your breath allows you to be mindful of the present moment, and it is in this space you can hear yourself, your ancestors, AND the Divine.
5. It's ok to be uncertain about your future.
Why does our society pressure us into having to figure out our WHOLE LIVES right when we're busy maturing into adults? Fortunately, the Gen Zs and after are getting to explore their lives a little bit more than the Millennials and generations before, but they're still feeling a bit of pressure. There should be no pressure at all in this space, especially because life is ever-changing, and passions can ebb and flow.
I realize I went into teaching because I didn't know what else I could do...and OTHERS in my life were saying I would be a good teacher. I married music and education so I could do both, and while I enjoyed it for what it was, I know now that it wasn't a sustainable passion for me. I was so invested in my students' greatness, I didn't make space for my OWN greatness.
In my current state of BEING, I'm enjoying BEING in my greatness.
I will continue with my last 5 reflections in my next post. Until then, love and peace to all of you.
Alexa, play “Prayer for Humanity” by India Arie.
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