[Day 13] with Stephanie Lin

Humans are emotional beings. We are made to feel a wide range of emotions in our body to match the rainbow of experiences that life on this planet has to offer. Happiness is wonderful, but so is anger. Passion is beautiful, but so is sadness. Peace of mind is precious, but so is anxiety. They are all part of being alive. Can we learn to embrace them all?

Often times people fall into the trap of labeling certain emotions as good and others as bad. They believe that if they can only keep the “bad” ones at bay then life will be wonderful. But our emotions are reflections of the fullness, complexity, and beauty of life. When we ignore, suppress, or attempt to change our emotions before they can be completely experienced we are cutting ourselves off from life. This creates stress in the mind and dis-ease in the body. Energy does not flow freely in and out. Stagnant energy cannot be released and recycled back into the earth.

How can we experience emotions in a healthy way? Feel them to completion. Allow the unique energy and nuance of each emotion to course through your body. Experience the mental relief that comes with not fighting or resisting or questioning. Feel the physical tingles as the energy of this emotion goes where it wants to go. You may want to take deep breaths and move, dance, or shake your body to allow the energy to flow through you. Before long you will feel the emotion cycle out of your body, making room new experiences and emotions to enter.

And on and on it goes. This is life as a human being. How precious and beautiful it is!

Now write a post or grab your journal and write about your reflections, experience and share your story.

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About Stephanie Lin

Stephanie is a spiritual construction worker and life coach whose passion is to guide awakening women to live a conscious, soul-driven, and joyful life. Her gifts of energy sensitivity and claircognizance are supported by intensive training in thought-based coaching with Brooke Castillo at The Life Coach School, as well as ten years immersed in the study of Buddhism and other spiritual traditions. She holds an M.A. and M.Phil. in Religion from Columbia University. She is also a contributing author in the bestselling Adventures in Manifesting series. http://www.stephanieylin.com

http://www.twitter.com/stephanieylin

[Day 12] Are you impatient?

How often do you say " hurry up", "come on" or think to yourself "I want it to be done NOW"? Or how often does someone else say the above to you? Do you dream of being more patient in your life?

It can be a valuable exercise to stop and reflect on why you feel so busy in everyday life. Is it always necessary? Does impatience set the agenda? Note the answers that emerge.

We experience daily impatience, both our own and others. When the car in front of us is a little too slow, when the light turns green. When the kids aren't listening. When people don't do something the way we want it done etc.

What does impatience feel like? It often holds irritation and criticism and can make ourselves and those around us feel uncomfortable. If you aren't aware of your own impatience, then how does it feel when someone else meets you that way?

Especially when we have decided to create some changes in our lives, and shifts don't happen fast enough we think we've failed, that that method doesn't work and we are on to the next thing. Maybe you've felt impatient during this challenge - come on already get to some good exercises... :)

A ton of questions today, but important ones to look at.

Now write a post or grab your journal and write about your reflections, experience and share your story.

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[Day 11] Do you get enough sleep?

A lot of clients have trouble sleeping and come to me to see if meditation can help them turn off the constant stream of thoughts, worry and speculation that seem to keep them up. Although mindfulness meditation isn't a relaxation practice, it can be a great bonus effect.

A lot of things keep us up at night, but what prevents us from going to bed in the first place? I created this challenge with a smile on my face because my answer would a big fat YES - I stay up way too late!

With two small kiddos and a business I drink too much coffee and stay up late into the night so I can get things done. When my head finally hits my pillow, two girls crawl into our bed and a night of pushing and shoving begins. It's cozy, but not good for resting...

I defniately feel the lack of sleep in my body. And I know that I have to get more rest to be able to function properly. Somehow it's "hard" to tuck myself in at 20.05. Because at night I get to hold hands with my partner and have some time to myself. Do you know the feeling?

Do you get enough sleep? 

Now write a post or grab your journal and write about your reflections, experience and share your story.

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[Day 10] Unplug

A few years ago I decided to give up my iPhone because I hoped it would help me unplug. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, texts, emails, calls, we are plugged in a lot. It didn't really help, because even though my phone was gone, I still felt I had to be on call and stay in control of all incoming messages - at all times.

When I worked corporate we had a 24 hour reply policy. Which was fine and in some cases we could wait 3-4 days to give the best respons possible. It doesn't seem to be acceptable anymore. Facebook rats us out. We read a message and it tells the sender that we have seen it. If we don't reply it seems weird and we get follow up messages like "are you there". Have you experienced similar situations? We have to be quick on our feet.

Sometimes I have received a business proposal and answered back the next day only to get a reply saying they found someone else, and there are loads of examples.

For me getting rid of my phone, deleting apps etc. didn't help. I needed to allow myself to go offline and let people know what to expect from me. And I just can't be everywhere, with a quick reply - all of the time. Maybe you don't find it as stressful as I do, which is great. No matter how you feel about being plugged in, I can't wait to hear what being unplugged brings up for you.

PS. Try to do it during hours where you normally would be on your computer or phone.

Now IN A FEW HOURS write a post or grab your journal and write about your reflections, experience and share your story.

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[Day 9] - with Michael Haupt

(the picture is from a mini wilderness retreat in Sweden I did with my colleague Sille)

Michael Haupt came up with today's challenge and I thought I would write my respons to it today - so thank you Michael. :)

I love meditating outdoors, with the wind against my face, fresh air and the feeling that I have stripped away so many of things that I worry about in my daily life by connecting to something bigger. There is something special about nature for me - how do you feel?

I live downtown Copenhagen, Denmark 2 minutes from the Central Station. A LOT of life going on here. I am not really a city girl but fell in love with a city boy and here I am. I was born in Labrador in Northern Canada. Not a lot of people, but a lot of wild life going on there. I have missed that connection to nature, and often felt it was lost in my life.

But in the city there are parks, trees, animals, wind, sun, rain and the chance to connect to the peace in all of the noise. I connect by looking up at the sky, pointing at birds with my 1-year old, watching the sun rise (we do that a lot I find thanks to the 1 year old...), feeling the wind against my skin and the smell of a freshly mowed lawn. It is there if I want it.

Now write a post or grab your journal and write about your reflections, experience and share your story.

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Click to tweet: Connecting to nature via @mindfulground 's Mindful Living blog challenge #awareness #nature #meditation #openess http://tinyurl.com/qf3m33s

Recommended reading 

Awake in the Wild: A Buddhist Walk Through Nature - Meditations, Reflections and Practices

By Mark Coleman

About Michael Haupt

Michael Haupt has lived in 16 cities on 6 continents. After being caught up in the hustle and bustle of corporate life, he now lives in a tiny mountain village, 90 minutes from the nearest bank. Traffic jams now consist of cows rambling down the road. Michael believes that the questions we ask ourselves determine the quality of our life. Follow or friend Michael on Facebook for a daily inspiring question, and enjoy the lively responses and debate at http://michaelhaupt.com/facebook/