My husband and I just spent a weekend in the mountains at a meditation retreat. I thought it would be a weekend of pure bliss filled with meditation, hiking, and time to unplug, but what I experienced was a bit unexpected…
I found myself getting emotional on the first day after several meditation sessions and it felt like it came out of nowhere. I thought of all the possible reasons for getting emotional, including my cycle, but nothing seemed to fit. As I sat in front of a tranquil pond full of lily pads and lotus flowers, I turned to my husband, teary eyed, and said, “I think I’m going through some stuff.” He embraced me.
What I realized later that day was that the act of sitting with my mind in meditation (for longer than I’d normally meditate) forced me to evaluate how I was seeing myself and the work I’m setting out to do as a wellness coach. Here are three things I learned in the course of the retreat:
- Seeing the light in others is powerful. Our impact on the world has the potential to be much greater when we shift our focus from “what about me?” to “how can I make a positive impact today?”. As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to get trapped in the hustle and bustle of business operations, but when I remember that my “why,” – to help people reconnect with their light and let it shine so bright that it uplifts and inspires others – it makes my work that much more meaningful and “porpoiseful”. It also reminds me to stop the cycle of stress and anxiety over the little things before it snowballs.
- Dance can help you get out of your own way. One morning at the retreat, I was reaching for cereal at breakfast when a woman complimented me on my black and neon Zumba leggings. We chatted a bit about how fun Zumba is and I mentioned that I was a Zumba instructor and also created a dance/fitness class that I lovingly call “Rhythm and Flow Fusion”. At one point she said, “Dance frees people from themselves”. Dance is not about the steps or the technique all the time – it’s about getting out of your head and into your body! It allows you to step away from self-judgment and feel more aligned with your highest self 🙂
- Trust your path. The retreat talked a lot about seeing the potential in others and wishing happiness for all living beings. That may sound a little “woo,” but when I stop and think about it, it’s the basis of my business as a wellness coach. I built my business on many mindfulness principles and it became clearer and clearer to me that if I follow my intuition, I can use my skills and talents to help others feel less stressed and more at ease with their true nature (the happiest and healthiest versions of themselves). I just need to trust the universe and keep being myself!
These thoughts are just the tip of the iceberg – I learned so much over the weekend and I feel like it will be sinking in for a while!
I’m curious to know if any of these thoughts resonated with you! Comment and let me know which ones jumped out! And, here’s a quick “porpoiseful tip”!
Porpoiseful tip: The next time you’re feeling stressed or “off,” try doing something that will help you reconnect your body and mind. Maybe it’s meditation, maybe it’s a walk in nature, or maybe it’s a workout, but it just might give you some good food for thought to up-level your vision for your wellness routine!