GOT NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS? - Sit Still for a Change
By Carla Medlenka
"Most people live, whether physically, intellectually or morally, in a very restricted circle of their potential being. They make use of a very small portion of their possible consciousness, and of their soul’s resources in general, much like a man who, out of his whole bodily organism, should get into a habit of using and moving only his little finger."
– William James, Philosopher and Psychologist
January – the month we all “rethink” ourselves. By now, each of us is probably on the path to becoming slimmer, healthier, and debt-free. These are trying times!
According to one online source, our top ten New Year’s Resolutions tend to be pretty much the same year in and year out:
- SPEND MORE TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS
- STICK TO A FITNESS PROGRAM
- LOSE WEIGHT
- QUIT SMOKING
- ENJOY LIFE MORE
- QUIT DRINKING
- GET OUT OF DEBT
- LEARN SOMETHING NEW
- HELP OTHERS
- GET ORGANIZED
Were we to master any of these agendas, certainly our resolutions would not be the same year after year after year – we could move onward and upward toward other, higher aspirations!
A major reason we continue to miss our mark over and over again is because, somewhere deep within us, we don’t really believe we can succeed. We believe (and perhaps have been told) that we are small and very limited creatures. We have yet to realize the vastness of our potential.
To change these old ways of thinking, feeling and acting, we can begin a journey below the surface, where we gain awareness of someone who is buried – our deepest Self.
The first step inward requires simple silence, stillness, non-action. The more we run around seeking the person we really wish to be, the further that person will run from us! Ironically, everything we dream we can be – healthier, wealthier, kinder, smarter – we already are.
Making time to sit still, calm the mind, quiet the endless chatter in our head, and create an intentional practice of meditation, prayer, reflection, inspirational reading, or whatever you wish to call it, creates new discovery. In a very short time of committed practice, we gain (if even just a hint of) a glimpse of the heights to which we – as spiritual/human beings – can rise.
When our mind settles down to quieter levels, it reflects an image we are not used to seeing. In that reflection, we may see the “real person” we wish to become. She exists! And this simple image of her existence offers proof that she can manifest into reality.
With a regular quiet practice, the body experiences a very deep level of rest. Breathing soft and natural, muscles relax, blood flows more freely. Even blood chemistry changes – decreasing levels of stress hormones to neutralize accumulated stress and fatigue, which allows the body’s self-repair mechanisms to engage.
Scientific research shows that this type of regular routine allows the body to return to a more balanced state – where blood pressure, cholesterol and other functions begin to normalize.
Most importantly, creating this simple practice, especially if it’s done in the morning, sets the tone for our day. Our mind experiences more peace, displacing the worried frenzy that may have comprised pre-stillness days.
Connecting with our deeper Self – the spiritual part of us – can guide our “human-ness” toward the better choices we wish to make. Our circle of potential widens, and we awaken to the realization that we no longer need to limit our possibilities. New Year’s Resolutions? No problem!
