Live, Love, Serve  | 27  March ,2023 | 25/3/2023

Greetings to you all,

Hope you have been extra kind to yourselves….. as I pondered about my post as to find something new to write, I struck upon a topic. I choose to write on resistance – recognizing and understanding resistance.

“Resistance will tell you anything to keep you from doing your work” – Steven Pressfield

I have also always been puzzled , intrigued that when I really want to do something – I recognize a certain sense of reluctance that gets within me . I tend to overcome this and there have been many times that I succumb to this barrier within me and therefore miss out on many a fun things that I would otherwise enjoy….

I therefore empathise with my fellow humans who go through this challenge on a day to day basis. The inspiration for today`s post also comes from the conversations I have had with people I work with, my friends and my family. Many of us feel resistance at different times and it sneaks from within or leaps ahead of us – it feels like a pull from behind.

Below an animated version of how resistance feels like – a block a wall or a force that sets one back

Hopefully my attempt at scaffolding this innate force within us will help you to break through your own inner barriers and move on to the next phase of your progression.

Resistance can be a barrier and a force that prevents us from doing something – that we want to do or we need to do …

It sits between apprehension and willingness – two very different dimensions

On one hand we are afraid to begin something new and on the other we are so keen to engage and take the next step

&

There is also a BUT – that creeps in….

We face resistance when we are ready to make the next stage

For example, we may want to volunteer or engage in 20 min of walking or learn a new sport – however there is a barrier that is daunting and that stops us from doing the things that draws us – i.e., from doing the things that is essential for our betterment

We also face resistance when are about to engage in a creative endeavor or when we are about to take up something new.

What is important is to recognize that resistance is a natural force that can be daunting

The way to get through this barrier is to take that first step and / or make the next move to embrace the next level of progression

“ Nothing else matters , except sitting down every day and trying” – Steven Pressfield

Recognize resistance – recognize that it is a natural force and work through it

Time it –and don`t let it overwhelm you

Teach or tell yourself that resistance is also a hallmark of your progression- your readiness to grow and improve and embrace change

The longer that you allow resistance to sit – it turns into procrastination.

So, if you want to try your hand at art – just do it – get yourself a paper, a pencil and draw a figure that is your unique creation

If you wish to go for a walk, make that first move

If you wish to set a routine in place- put that on paper and

Plunge through the currents of resistance and take a

Leap towards your own progression and growth

“ Out of resistance comes strength” Nepoloean Hill

Much love

About Feb,2023- LIVE-LOVE-SERVE 12/03.2023

Kia Ora from Aotearoa, Southern Hemisphere,

Greetings to you all … today`s note is to acknowledge the impact of cyclone Gabrielle, the loss left in its wake, the fear, the uncertainty and the collective goodness that continues to seep through all of this turmoil and that still keeps us going ….

The most important lesson a man can learn from life is not that there is pain in this world, but that it is possible for him to transmute it into joy-  Rabindranath Tagore

So, the month of Feb … seemed chaotic and unsettling …. parts of the North Island felt nature`s wrath and fury … and all that we could only do was to take measures to keep safe- either on our own or within our respective family setups. We heard stories of people, livestock and homes sadly drowned or washed away- we also heard stories of miracles when lives were saved and heroism celebrated. And here are some learnings that surfaced…that you may also find useful

Build a small steady group of people who look out for you: Every single person felt just a little more vulnerable -what helped was staying connected to your immediate and extended circle of supportive friends and family. We checked in on one another at the end of the day and the start of the day-

 There is strength in community:

I had an amazing encounter with a couple of strangers who stopped on their way home and to give of their time and kindness to set right a humongous branch that blocked our driveway. Uncertainty and change will always be around – but kindness , kinship and service can transform and break through barriers of all that is daunting.

Choose to see that what is best in everyone: These guys offered help without being asked and that for me was a reflection of sheer goodness light and kinship that we share as humanity. I offered to pay – they spent 4 hours on this job and refused to take a dime. I refer to these two as

“ Angels in human form “

Build connections ….

I sent them a thank you hamper as a small token of gratitude for their vast gesture of kindness. I also felt incredibly humbled and grateful that these two amazing humans were within my community…. set yourself with a good support system and find ways of staying connected to community through kindness , through using local services and building small connections within your own community. The lesson that I have learnt thus far is having good friends is priceless – having friends from within your immediate community also adds to the resource and wellness quotient.

In the month of Feb, I also read Michelle Obama`s amazing book The Light we carry – the beautifully crafted work was a joy to read…. affirms the ethos of kindness, community and connections that always takes us through times of uncertainty …. so grateful – my experiences in the month of Feb brought to light all of the aforesaid …

 “When we learn to foster what’s unique in the people around us, we become better able to build compassionate communities and make meaningful change” – Michelle Obama

Have a wonderful week …. Will connect soon

Arohanui,

How the year started ….& on learning to

Live, Love, Serve  |  2023 | 5/3/2023

Greetings to you all,

The start of the year was amazing – As March nudges on , I made a note to myself to connect, the primary rationale being to serve through my writing and artwork.

On a personal note, my year felt more amazing and my heart was just more grateful as I got to spend a lot of time spend with one of my sons. I also got visits with 2 of my cherished friends and that was meaningful , precious and a lot of fun.

In today`s writing, the  intention is to check in with you all as to how you use the following in your day to day practice

• Mindfulness : What do you do everyday as mindful practice …. Do you walk , do you stop and smell the roses, do you listen more for the birds or for a note or a lyric that tugs at you…

These are ways that I include mindfulness -I walk on the beach, I take in the texture of the pebbles and stones and I take note on the different hues that nature has on offer- if you live with children , introduce them to mindfulness …nice and early …take in the colours, tastes, textures…..

• Emotional Regulation: What do you to strengthen your practice on inviting the calm- Do you engage in breathwork, have you considered exercise and what are the activities that give you a sense of rhythm and comfort

These are ways that I include emotional regulation in my day to day living – exercise, breathwork, practicing my music and indulging in any creative work –

Note – once again model ways of bringing in calm to your young ones too– swimming and excercise great form of emotinal regulation

• Distress Tolerance: What are ways that you learn to embrace acceptance of challenges , feel more brave , more calm and more in the now.  During the course of our lives, we are all likely to experience sone form of hardships ad the memories of the [painful experiences cause us to become reactive, cower low or feel incredibly uncomfortable and unsafe. The feeling of discomfort is a trigger and it can easily lead us to make a poor choice that is fear based.

We can teach ourselves to accept that we are a sum of all of the positive and the negative –

we can learn to rephase that the memory of the negative experiences can go on to teach and educate us and to make us more wise

This can be done when we take little steps every day to invite the calm, count the positives, begin to take count of the things that make you smile and do more of thus each day and every day

These are some of the ways I engage or recommend practicing Distress tolerance – write everyday, be grateful, be kind to yourself, be constructive creative smile more and work on connecting to people who lift you up– any creative pursuit can be a superb avenue for distress tolerance – Michelle Obama refers to the gift of absorption in her beautifully crafted Light we carry

• Interpersonal Effectiveness: The best lessons on wholesome living comes when we learning to connect to ourselves, know who we are and then find ways of making meaningful connections with family, friends and the extended community. This is about knowing who we are, the values that we hold close, what we aspire for and love, what we do not love and how we want to connect with our loved ones and what are ways we can connect and give back to the community

As I grow well into my fifth decade of living, I am more mindful of how I live, the values I cherish and put into practice, the words I speak, the company I keep-the more we do this the better we are able to serve and strengthen the core of who we are fabric of our individual selves and the communities we serve….

Working on doing more of the things we love with people who lift you up ….

“Joy can only be real if people look upon their life as a service and have a definite object in life outside themselves and their personal happiness.” – Leo Tolstoy

With love