Serenity

I love these quiet spots in the forest where you feel you can sit and just forget about all the troubles that might be weighing you down. Travis always makes fun of me because it's when I find a spot like this that I like to sit down...He always says, "Is Teniah having a 'Peaceful Moment'!"...."Yes, she is!" haha.....

I find that these spots somehow offer a sense of serenity and comfort. I feel like no matter how stressful my day was; no matter how annoyed I am; no matter what others are saying or thinking about me....It is in this moment where I can just let it all go.

I think that is the thing I love the most about the area where I live - there are a LOT of these little peaceful spots to be found. (Or maybe it's that I'm in a place in my life where I'm always looking for them?....) Perhaps that's more accurate.....Perhaps there are peaceful spots everywhere and we are too pre-occupied with our own stresses in life that we overlook those quiet moments?

I challenge you to try and find a place of tranquility this week. Maybe it's in your house somewhere; maybe it's in a park, or by a lake, or sitting by the ocean. Wherever you go to find that place of stillness....embrace it, and just let that moment cover you. Let the quiet of that moment just overpower all the stress and all the troubles that you are holding on to.

I have been looking further into loving kindness meditation over these past three weeks, and as part of that meditation I have been seeking these peaceful moments where I can offer myself kindness and offer that same kindness out to the world. Where I can take a moment to say, "May I be safe. May I be peaceful. May I let go of all that no longer serves me. May I live in this world with ease". At the same time offering up this intention towards those I love, towards those I struggle to love, and towards the universe as a whole.

Tearing Down the Walls

“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.”~ Randy Pausch

I think I have shared this quote before, but it's worth having another look at. I was reminded of this quote today at the end of my run because the past two runs that I have completed have been a real mental challenge for me. I have really struggled to keep going in the midst of the urge to stop and walk, but I have somehow managed to completely run both routes. This is not only a huge physical accomplishement, but also a psychological achievement for breaking down those walls that keep me from my full potential.

I believe that each person has their own personal struggles and challenges, whether those challenges are eating disorders, addictions, depression...You name it. I believe that everyone has "brick walls" in their lives that keep them from living fully in the present moment. I also believe that if we want to experience that full joy and peace in this present moment then we need to either tear down those walls, or discover some way to climb over them......We must prevail.

There is so much joy and happiness to experience in this life. I cannot begin to express the personal achievement and fullfillment that I find in overcoming these road-blocks and in pushing through. There is something magical about getting to the other side and knowing that you wanted it badly enough to make it happen.

I experienced this with my degree - I never really dreamed it would be possible to graduate from university and have a career. The feeling at the completion of that goal was undescribeable!!! The same I felt the first time I tramped to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back up, the same I felt when I summited Trinchera, the same I felt when I ran my first race.......It's that feeling of having achieved your goals, but also that feeling of knowing that you wanted it badly enough to fight for it.....

Whatever your challenge is, whatever wall is keeping you from meeting your goals, I encourage you to keep pressing on - keep tearing down those walls!!!