Do You Need a Respite?

Photo by Sabir Abdus-Sabur

These days are turbulent for sure. What to do?

In his Just One Thing e-note this morning, Psychologist Rick Hanson responded to my wondering:

This week's practice - love someone.

Rick affirms: that's a good practice at any time.

"But it's especially good if you feel stressed, worried, or turned upside down - including by big forces that seem beyond your control."

Two days after the US elections, a group of us knew that we needed an oasis in the overwhelm. We gave ourselves a day of respite at a beautiful place - time to be with ourselves, our emotions, our fears, our hopes. You can tell from the faces at the end of the day that the time together helped us face our current reality with more equanimity, less fear.

I invite you to join me for a special Day of Retreat/ Respite December 10 at Copper Beech Institute in West Hartford, CT. It will be a day to choose Love in Action for yourself, with others: quiet time, stress reduction, practical mindfulness, opportunity to breathe, re-group, re-fresh, re-juvenate body/mind/spirit.

As Rick says,

"No matter what others do, we can choose to love. Besides its benefits for others, love is also calming, centering, and strengthening for oneself."

Don't wait for a retreat day to practice Love in Action. It's a great antidote for frustration--plus it helps our own health, and the health of our world. Here's a little Oasis Sanity Tip for a practical way to do it today. It's a single investment with triple beneficiaries.

Ask yourself:

What is one act of love I will do today:

1. for myself?

2. for someone I know?

3. for someone I don't know?

Write down the specifics for each one.

Check it off when you've done it.

Breathe gratitude - in and out.

Enjoy your day. Sleep well.

Wherever you are, I send loving greetings from New Haven. Treat yourself to an oasis. Now.