Hello! This morning I sat down and intentionally journaled.
It felt so very good, like drinking nectar for my soul.
Due to incredible busy-ness (which of us here are not ever busy??), I had allowed my habit of free writing each morning to slip and I felt the effects of being disconnected with myself.
It’s been almost 2 weeks since I’ve listened to the inner workings of my soul. I enjoy those times. I enjoy when I really get to hear from God. I enjoy writing down thoughts and feelings. I have been busy with getting the marketing for my book and CD, sales pages, squeeze pages and those kinds of things done. Those things are good too. But I notice a distinct difference in my attitude. I’m less happy generally. It’s as if my inner rhythm had been thrown off, now asking for balance to be re-established. I’m more than happy to re-establish it. I know it’s the best thing, the right thing, the thing that most pleases God.
So I set my timer to 15 minutes and free wrote whatever came to mind. I’d like to share a piece of that writing here from my heart to yours:
I prefer to go a slower pace, if that means establishing a sustainable rhythm for me and my family that honors everybody’s needs. That is the highest priority for me.
One cannot so much say, “Slow down,” unless one has a means of pouring something in as a substitute. For instance, slowing down in our westernized society carries with it a sense of loss or less productivity, accomplishment, or success. However, without “slowing down” as our minds understand it, we cannot truly tune in and listen to the real sounds that move us. The motions we make are emptied of meaning, value and substance.
Motion, to be effective, must be preceded and bathed in emotion, of the pure and right kind, as given by God. We can only have this kind of passion when we are in deep communion times with God. We can only do this when we are still and listening, not when we are running around trying to get a million things crossed off our to-do lists.
I believe in setting goals. When we have clear goals to boundarize our days (not sure if boundarize is a word), then we can slow down without guilt when we need more time to reflect and process.
A goal is basically a clarified desire set to a date. When you know what you want and project it out to the future of when you want it by, you’re setting a goal. I can say that our family wants to go to Disneyland for Winterbreak, but until we put an actual date on the calendar, that remains a desire yet to be born.
I have honestly struggled with setting goals, because setting them requires being attuned to our desires. During the times that my desires were buried underneath the surface of my everyday life and responsibilities as a stay a home mom, I wasn’t all too aware of what I wanted. So, setting goals was not something I habitually did, until recently as I’m growing out of my comfort zone.
I now prefer to think of myself not so much as “slowing down” as I am “listening up.” And in order to “listen up,” I require an environment of stillness that I intentionally carve out of my busy days.
I am thrilled to be learning ways to use music and sound. I’m also excited to be hosting a class at the end of November to share my findings on how to process and master your emotions using different techniques. You’re invited to the online gathering! You can register here: http://DesignWithJinnia.com/Master-Your-Emotions
Listening is such an art in itself and a beautiful one at that. Do you know there’s a difference between hearing and listening? What do you suppose the difference is? I’d love to read your answers!
