For the last two years I have provided a free offering called Mindful Mantras, where each Sunday I send out a word or short phrase for the recipients to focus on during the week. I set up the emails each December, all 52 for the year, so that when I receive the Sunday prompt it’s a surprise for me too. I’m almost always amazed how those weekly words fit into my life and how they really do help give me focus. And it never fails that when I start to think I won’t offer the emails again the following year I start getting emails from other recipients telling me how much those single words and short phrases really help them.
I am reminded why I do this work. More importantly I am reminded that I simply need to do the work. It doesn’t matter if any one else appreciates it. And still, it is nice to get notes that say “What you do matters.”
I notice that when I get into my ruts of feeling like what I do doesn’t matter, that I don’t matter, a couple of things are going on. First there is likely a huge shift occurring within me: a layer is about shed or a new one is about to be born; I am transitioning from one way of being to another and the discomfort and dis-ease of process has me questioning All The Things.
In these times of discomfort and dis-ease I am reminded of the need to care for me: to stop; to be; to rest; to replenish. In the Unbecoming Circle this week is our week of rest and I am reminding each of the women of the importance of stopping, of giving permission, of allowing. The importance of accepting our Self. Of being. Being worthy and deserving and enough. And mostly, our simple existence means we matter.
Each of us have gifts to offer this world. We may or may not have the honor of knowing what these gifts are. We may or may not have the privilege of knowing when these gifts have been received by others. We may or may not have “special” gifts. But each and every one us is a gift to this world. We each matter. With out our existence the world would be a little duller, a little less.
We are each Sacred. Often I meet women and men who treat others with so much love and respect and completely dishonor themselves. They would give the shirt off their backs to another person in need, but won’t even stop to give themselves a cup of tea to enjoy. I hear the excuse over and over of there not being enough time; there is too much to do; They need me more; They are The priority. And I almost always respond with, All The Things can’t wait for ten minutes?
Sometimes people have the idea that self-care means taking hours and hours out of your day to nourish and replenish. It can mean that. I think all of us would enjoy that. And yet, self-care can be done in ten minute or less snippets throughout the day. Six ten minute breaks gives you an hour, and while yes, having that full hour all at once would be better, six ten minute breaks during our busiest times is better than not giving ourselves the rest we deserve.
Those breaks give us, and our gifts to the world, the chance to replenish, the chance to nourish, the chance to breathe and be. Those breaks remind ourselves that we are important, worthy and sacred. Those breaks show others that we are important, worthy and sacred and give them the space to honor their own importance, worthiness and sacredness.
I remind the women in my circles, and I include me in this, that we deserve to be taken care of. We deserve the little breaks and the extra effort. We deserve to be loved and honored and respected. This honoring and respecting needs to begin from within. We need to see our own beauty. We need to acknowledge that we are important, even if we aren’t exactly sure what our gifts are. It’s not really our business to know how we are making the world a better place. It is only our business to know that we do; that our existence makes the world brighter, more beautiful, more loving.
Honor yourself today. Recognize the truth that you matter; you are worthy; you are sacred. Give yourself the love and respect you would, and do, give to others. For ten minutes. All The Things can wait, trust me.
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