Sabbath for Proaction

When I first read about the concept of proaction in Stephen Covey's book, I was amazed to learn that I have the freedom and responsibility to choose how to respond rather than going through my life reacting to things as they arise; that I can control my moods and my impulses, rather than letting situations and people’s words sway me.

I've gotten much better now at being independent and disciplined - at letting praise and criticism roll off me; at feeling good because of my inner light rather than as a response to what others say; at having equanimity in the hard times. And I've also gotten better at looking my moods of avoidance in the eye and having the strength of my convictions.

Today I have a day to myself, and I'll take time to be proactive and disciplined with some things I've been avoiding, and also settle into meditation on the various people and situations in my life and how I can better respond to them.

Agenda today:

1. Read "Everyday Simplicity"
2. Resilience tasks
3. Proaction plans
4. Love Meditation

1. Read "Everyday Simplicity":

I bought myself this little book, by Robert J. Wicks (2000), as a birthday treat. The subtitle is: A Practical Guide to Spiritual Growth. (The wording is more God-focused than I like, but I can translate easily.)  

Chapter 2 is Softening the Soul, which focuses on the first of three parts of spiritual growth - Nourishing a spiritual attitude.

How I approach life - my spiritual attitude - determines what I am able to give and to receive. I must let my defenses down, be calm, and real, and in-the-moment, so that the spirit of God "can be received and can shine through" me.

"The beauty of nature and the simple gifts each day brings will go unnoticed if our minds are elsewhere. ... Too often our minds are filled with worries or unnecessary concerns. ... A spiritual attitude changes this, it softens our souls." 

He is talking about proaction in a spiritual sense: That when I am "spiritually sensitive" and able to receive Love, I am in a better position to appreciate life, be aware of it's gifts, and respond in a loving way. 

"When we are striving to live out a spiritual attitude, our behavior during the entire day is more likely to reflect God's will. ... We are not captured by the values and fears of the world." 

The next several chapters cover spiritual themes that will aid me in nourishing a spiritual attitude in simple ways during the day.

2. Resilience skills plan:
I set a goal at the start of the year to build my resilience, which is the ability to successfully adapt to stressors and bounce back from difficult experiences. It's a set of practical skills that allow me to be strong, flexible, creative, hopeful, and positive.

Resilience skills replace coping skills, such as drinking, over-eating, and mindless spending.

Some of the categories of resilience skills include- 

• Wellness of body
• Wellness of mind (mindfulness, hope, creativity)
• Emotional awareness and regulation
• Building social connections
• Creating purpose
• Stability (being proactive with finances, home care, future planning)

This week's resilience plan: 

1. New health habit #7: Skin care.
2. Love Cycle: Practice emotional resilience and sharing myself in ways that feed me.
3. Mindfulness: Be aware of proaction possibilities.
4. Stability: Clear studio to create room for teaching (and a hot tub).

3. Proaction plans:

I'm working on two areas of proaction. The first is emotional awareness: When something happens I can pause, and choose what to say and what to do, and how to feel about it. Every moment, every situation, provides a new choice, and a perfect opportunity to do things differently to produce happier results. Nothing anyone can do or say has control over me.

The second is mental awareness: In any moment of the day, I have the power to do the next thing that gives my life meaning. It may be the next task on my planner, or it may be a pause to play or rest my brain, but I always have the power to choose rather than shut down and tune out. 

   

"If you are an effective manager of your self, your discipline comes from within; it is a function of your independent will. You are a disciple, a follower, of your own deep values and their source. And you have the will, the integrity, to subordinate your feelings, your impulses, your moods to those values.” ~Stephen Covey.

4. Love Meditation:

Every month after the full moon, in the quiet-energy yin time of the waning moon, I practice a love meditation that progresses from receptivity, to gratitude, to generosity:

Day 1: Practice a love meditation, and open to receive blessings - send a prayer to the universe asking to be showered with love, kindness, health, and happiness.

1. 1 minute - Relax your body, and focus on the tender emotion of generous love. Allow a smile to settle on your face and in your heart.
2. 1 minute - Visualize love as soft, tingly, warm, pink light, and see it move from your heart to every part of your body so that every cell is glowing and vibrating.
3. 1 minute - Now see the pink light of love radiating to fill the whole room, then the whole city, and the whole planet earth.
4. 1 minute - See that all people, plants, and animals feel warm and happy.
5. 1 minute - Send an extra dose of love light to those people you want to have a better connection to.