I don’t have resolutions for 2015. I have a word for the year, a theme that I will strive for.
HARMONY
I’ve made peace with the fact that perfect balance is not achievable when you dream big, work hard and adventure often. Harmony is a better fit. Merriam Webster has several definitions of harmony but I am I am referring to it as follows:
- pleasing or congruent arrangement of parts
- correspondence, accord
- internal calm; tranquility
I no longer expect things to happen in my life at the perfect time in the perfect amounts. There will always be evenings at work instead of having dinner with Brian. There will be weekends with too much sitting on the couch binge-watching Friends or House of Cards when I should be writing blog posts. Something important will always suffer slightly, so I can attend to something else in my life that is equally as important. But if the parts of my day can come together in a pleasing arrangement so I can go to bed tired but content then all is right in the world.
Harmony isn’t necessarily easier than balance. Nothing worth having is easy. It is, however, achievable. My favorite things list this month are things that quite accidentally (or not?) came together as I was sealing my intention for the New Year. I hope they will also give you some assistance if you are trying to create harmony in your life.
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Buddhify App
I keep working on my meditation practice. Just like exercise I always feel calmer, my thoughts are clearer and I have less anxiety when I meditate. Unlike exercise, meditation is usually one of the first things to fall off my to-do list. Buddhify takes away the excuse of time. This app has very short meditations so I can fit in some practice when I have a break at the gym or in the morning before breakfast. Brian is traveling again and I have found the Going to Sleep meditation called Fade very helpful. -
Real Simple Magazine
It’s not about the recipes or the quick cleaning tips (although I do make my own eco-friendly bathroom cleaner thanks to them). It’s their new monthly column Breathe. Along with a gorgeous graphic, there is a short exercise to help you find your zen. The February issue’s theme is restoring a feeling of openness. If harmony is to be found I believe one must be open to change, open to new ways of doing things and new ways of approaching old routines. I look forward to the monthly reminders in the midst of their book recommendations and organization tips.
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Green Spa Vapor and Veriditas Botanicals Sleep Aid Essential Oil
Part of my effort in creating harmony is taking care of myself better when Brian is traveling the globe and taking amazing pictures of the wonders of the world. When he travels I would over schedule myself in an attempt to fill up the empty space. Add that to the fact that I don’t sleep when he is away and I am exhausted when he returns. I have set an intention to downshift my schedule, make time for ME and find a sleep strategy that works. I purchased this diffuser and oil before the third night of his last trip. I started it about 20 minutes before bed so the room was pleasantly perfumed when I was ready to attempt sleep. Combined with the fan (white noise) and the guided meditation I was able to drift off to sleep with less anxiety.
Now if I could find a way to help me stay asleep. While I was able to drift off, I started waking up about every 2 hours. Any thoughts?
What’s your word for the year? What positive steps have you taken to live your word in 2015?
