[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I think the concept of us being the creators of our lives is powerful. So powerful that it takes the passive and helpless and flips it.
It was the one thing that truly changed how I feel about disability – about being deaf and having C-PTSD, about my daughter Moxie having Down syndrome. Feeling that rather than us being physical beings who were seeking a spiritual existence and overcoming disability by dint of our choices in life, it became us being spiritual beings who are having a physical experience, and the presence of disability in our lives adds to the tone and flavor of that experience.
With that in mind and heart, each day is something that I can look at visualize. Rather than just wake up and wander into a day and react to things all around me as they happen, I try and wake up and spend time to be with my spirit and think about the day as I would like it to unfold, as I visualize it unfolding, as I expect it to unfold. Then I walk into the day.
There is a huge difference between the experience of reacting to a day and visualizing it and feeling centered and having a day unfold. Do you know what I mean? If you meditate, I know you do.
My morning routine
I do this: I wake up really early. I go into another room. Light my candles* (see note below on the candles), brew coffee. I talk to Dana a little bit. Then I pray, and try and meditate.
Meditating isn’t easy for me to do because it’s pretty boring, getting started. It reminds me a lot of running though: both are boring and awful when you start, and you only continue with them because mid-way it starts feeing good and afterwards, you feel kind of high. You just have to push through the boring, awful parts.
Then comes writing.
THIS IS SO IMPORTANT for me. I am NOT talking about my professional writing; I mean my scripting and focus-writing.
First I do my Two Minute Morning – as a warm up. It helps me think about how I want to frame my day, what I want to focus on, what I appreciate about my life right now. I try and focus on small things, like the glitter of frost on the grass that I saw yesterday, the smell of Mack’s sunshine-hair; the light in Micah’s eyes as he looks at me in joy over a shared secret.
It’s good stuff.
In this, I choose a journal or notebook that’s usually ends up being from Chronicle BooksStarting off the scripting process with a smile is important to me. I mean, I’m about to create with the power of my mind and heart: I want to start off with a smile, right?
So, I have my journal that I like. I open it and either write out things in life as I visualize them, taking care to flesh out some details that are important to me. If I’m pissed off with someone, I focus on something else that makes me happy and write about it until my entire mood has shifted. Or I focus on aspects of people that I love and appreciate – and by writing about it, I’m focusing on those things that I actually want to see (for example: if someone, say… Thomas… is a conniving asshole most of the time, but has a hilarious slice of dark humor sometimes, and if I have to interact with Thomas in my life, I will write and write and write about his hilarious slices of dark humor. Doing so really helps me see more of that in him, and then sure enough, he delivers, and I get more dark humor, less conniving asshole-stuff).
And that’s it.
My entire morning routine takes about 30-40 minutes. When I’m done, I feel like a centered person, I am in my skin, and I feel like I’m ready to roll, driving the car of my life (as opposed to just hanging on).
This routine has also carried me far with mourning. When I tune in and tap on, I feel connected with my brother and with Source Energy (or God).
My morning routine isn’t perfect
I think it’s getting there. I have to go in slow steps, and keep up a pattern of tiny consistencies, and build up to where I think a really awesome morning routine will be. I know yoga would be helpful in here for me. I’m not in the time or space where that’s easily integrated though. so I’m just accepting where I am and what I can do right now. I’m trying to focus on these small and consistent acts of self-care and alignment.
Tell me: what do you do?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_text_separator title=”A Note About Candles” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-fire” color=”turquoise” style=”shadow” border_width=”6″ el_width=”70″ add_icon=”true”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]I’m a sucker for a good candle. Candles are not all the same though. There is a big difference in the energy and feel of a candle that’s made from good wax, essential oils, solid ingredients and one that’s been filled with synthetic perfume and stuff.
I think large box stores and other places carry the good candles; you just have to read the ingredients to be sure it’s not made from lots of synthetic stuff.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Meriah Nichols is a counselor. Solo mom to 3 (one with Down syndrome, one on the spectrum). Deaf, and neurodiverse herself, she’s a gardening nerd who loves cats, Star Trek, and takes her coffee hot and black.
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So disappointing!
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