Ever have one of those days where you just feel “off”? I mean, everything is technically fine, everyone is where they belong, but something just doesn’t feel right?
I struggled with this recently. Couldn’t figure out what triggered it (which is kind of frustrating), so instead I worked on figuring out how to make peace with this challenging state as I got through the day. Breath by breath.
I’m not saying I solved the problem. But, I found a little relief. First, I intentionally slowed it down. I’m talking WAY down. Taking a moment to pause as things whirled around me. Yes, I continued with the carpool, the laundry, the homework helping, but I literally told myself to take each minute, breath by breath. To not get overwhelmed with all that has to be done, but to just be in this moment with this very breath.
Next, I let myself really feel the uncomfortableness, the uncertainty of the mood. It was not easy. I committed to giving up the fight with myself about putting on a happy face, or pulling myself up by my bootstraps. Instead, I worked on being at peace with this relatively annoying but painless feeling. Of course each moment– happy, sad, frustrating–well, they’re all just temporary anyway. As Rilke reminds us, “no feeling is final”.
Tomorrow is a new day. I love how the universe keeps offering us new beginnings. Maybe tomorrow will be the same. Or maybe it’ll be better. In fact, maybe tomorrow will be truly spectacular–one of those beautifully memorable days. And by employing these same concepts of breath by breath, accepting it as it is, finding ways to pause–I intend to be really present and awake to whatever come up in this precious life of ours. Breath by breath.