Reflection is good

Have you noticed how much of our lives we spend living in the fast lane?  Things seem to come at us on the other side of the road all of the time.  As humans, we learn to react and deal with new situations every day. A bit like facing one of those serving machines in tennis.  It can be relentless.  It can be hard to find time to take stock of our life experiences. 

Living by the sea, I am trying to carve out time during the day to slow down.  Either first thing in the morning, at lunch time, or after work.  It brings such a change of perspective.  Our relationship with nature will impact how much we notice, think about, and appreciate our natural surroundings, and is critical in supporting good mental health and preventing stress.  The fact that we have the sea on our doorstep is a real bonus, one we need to capitalize on.

Why not find yourself a quiet spot where you can connect with nature?  You will begin to connect with your senses, what you see, hear, smell, touch, and taste.  Might sound a bit weird, but tasting something from the earth that is perhaps salty will connect you more with nature.

Reflection is good; it helps us get quiet on the inside. It allows us to process events in our lives, whether they are good or bad.  Rather than leaving them locked up in a potential jack-in-the-box situation, our memories and emotions can be let out and articulated.  A bit like releasing homing pigeons from a cage.  They are free to fly as high as they want before returning home and joining the rest of our memories, feeling they have had time to express themselves.

The fact is, we don’t take enough time to reflect, which is why our emotional tanks can end up on empty.  So, if you can, deliberately take time out to reflect on the busyness of your life on a regular basis, you will begin to benefit from it and see that it is good for your wellbeing.

Why not begin by scoring yourself out of 10 for wellbeing?  If it needs topping up, then take some time out for yourself.