Time to Reflect

Lack of self care in a challenging world

The world we live in is a challenging one and the pace of live is frenetic. Whether you have a steady job or are running a home, you’ll know just how demanding work can be and how little time there is left to devote to your loved ones … not to mention your very own self!

The price we pay for the non stop sleep-eat-work-eat-sleep cycles that we humans endure, is a fundamental lack of self care and attention. 

Coping with unconscious living

When the day to day demands of life become overwhelming, we resort to what I call ‘unconscious living’, or, in other words, acting and behaving as if we are on autopilot. We make spur of the moment ‘programmed’ decisions rather than allow ourselves the luxury of thinking through the options available to us and the likely consequences of those options.

Unconscious living involves living by rote, doing those things that we have always done before to achieve a relatively safe outcome. We shut down our conscious thought processes in an effort to get by.

Doing so requires us to accept the whims of the external world and shut out the voice of the inner being. This is a survival technique designed to ‘keep us afloat until the storm subsides’.

Sadly, the storminess that characterises modern living seldom abates and the longer we succumb to unconscious living just to get by, the quicker life passes us by.

Conscious living: listening to the inner voice

The solution lies in engaging in ‘conscious living’ where we deliberately assess the important decisions, actions and behaviours we take against our values, or what is truly important to us in life.

Living consciously takes inner strength and courage. It requires us to act in accordance with what we instinctively know is right for us rather than that which we think we ‘ought to do’ or ‘should do’ based on the expectations of others and the world at large.

When you find yourself merely ‘coping’ with life from day to day, it is because you are reacting to the siren voices of your external world, while suppressing, or even completely silencing, your inner voice.

Your inner voice, or the voice of your inner being is, if you like, your connection to your creator, the source of life or the universe. Your inner being knows the exact purpose for which you are here on earth and it knows how best to fulfil that purpose.

By listening to your inner voice and following the guidance of your inner being you will move in the direction of your purpose. Life will become meaningful and joyful. Your soul and heart will sing as you begin to \’dance in step with the universe\’! 

Breaking the cycle

So the question is this: How, if you are embroiled in a life characterised by unconscious living, can you break out and start living consciously?

Affecting the change requires a momentum shift – something to ‘break the vicious cycle’.

And a holiday or break from routine, even if it is relatively short, can do the trick.

So, if you find yourself feeling fatigued, in a rut, or like life is passing you by, resolve to use the upcoming holiday, or break in routine, to reflect, stop doing what you think you should or ought to do and start listening to your inner voice and what you truly want to do!

Have the courage to listen to what you know, in your heart, is right for you and then take some small action to set in motion a plan of action to start living consciously. 

Hire the best help

If this idea excites you but you have no idea of how to come up with a plan of action to embark on, I recommend you hire help … in the form of a great life coach!

You have so little to lose – and a whole new and exciting life to gain!

Good luck and have a wonderfully restful and reflective break!

I look forward to connecting through Life Coaching Insights again in the New Year. 🙂