Happy Monday!
How are you today? Let me check in with myself for a second…I’m tired. The weekend was busy and I don’t feel like I rested enough, so I’m giving myself an easy morning, writing to you while nestled under a cozy blanket.
These days the weekends never seem to be as relaxing as I long for them to be, and the calendar continues to fill up fast. It’s a good reminder to take the tiny moments to recharge because, while rest can, and should be, planned, the world will never stop spinning. It’s on us to find the pause.
The more I practice mindfulness, the more the pause becomes an integral part of my day. I find opportunities for stillness even in the most chaotic of circumstances. I’m learning to tap deeper into my own sense of calm. Remember, as we practiced in our Returning to Inner Peace meditation a few weeks ago, peace is always within us.
Speaking of inner peace, that error I made in last week’s newsletter really challenged mine. I’m learning that one of my big wounds is the need for perfection and an error made without the ability to immediately resolve it can easily trigger old negative habits. If you didn’t catch it, I told you all we were in an Air season astrologically when we were in fact in Fire. No big deal I suppose, though I never want to give you wrong information. The good news: I was able to recognize negative response patterns and used it as an opportunity to grow. To keep calm and carry on as they say. I actually found a great quote that I kept in mind as I processed it.
“A mistake should be your teacher, not your attacker.”
For a long time I’ve responded to failures as if they were obvious signs that I was not worthy or able. I think I believed that if I’m good enough I won’t make mistakes. I’ve put this pressure on myself that I’m supposed to know everything and get things right on the first try. I’m becoming aware of how much this has held me back. It’s easier to hang around in what feels easy, in what comes naturally. Unfortunately, in the past, if I’ve got to get uncomfortable and work harder, I’m more likely to give up.
I recently read Grit by Angela Duckworth. She’s discovered both in her classroom and in her research that students who don’t understand material the first time it’s explained, and therefore must work harder to understand it, will perform better on exams. The students who find the material easy will think they need to study less and perform poorer. I’ve questioned my teacher friends and they’ve observed similar results.
So I guess it’s ok to not know everything right away. In fact, it may be to your benefit. That’s still a bit of a jagged pill for me. But I’m learning. I’m pushing my ego aside and believing not only that it’s ok to make mistakes but that I may actually be better off in the long run if I admit them. Hopefully the next time I’m met with a blunder, I’ll feel a little lighter, and if not, well, it’s still an opportunity to learn and try again.
The great news is the mistake did inspire a new meditation I’m happy to share with you. It’s a good practice no matter what season we are in or what traditions you believe. I hope you enjoy it.
That’s it from me today. Have a beautiful week.
Bye for now!