Blizzards and Balance: Finding Peace Amidst Weather’s Whims
As I sit on my couch in front of the fireplace looking outside at the snow continuing to fall, I pause to think about how beautiful nature really is and how fortunate we are to experience it all.
At the same time, I think about how much I’ve had to change in my calendar this week because of school closings. I’m working on what seems like an intricate puzzle—now trying to squeeze this week’s work into an already jam-packed next week. Sigh.
As I feel my breathing get a little shallower, I dig into my resilience-building toolbox and remind myself of two strategies…
Prioritize the things that I HAVE to get done this week.
I promise you—we don’t have to get all 100 items done on our to-do lists this week! Prioritize what needs to get done versus (a) what you prefer to work on or (b) simply getting things done to get things done. More on that in a future post.
Recognize the weather and school closings are out of my control.
In last week’s blog, I brought up the importance of identifying what is in our control and what is out of our control as one step toward minding what matters to us the most. I’m circling back to that this week because needing or wanting control comes up quite often with my clients. This need for control is totally understandable (and I can relate!)—it’s a coping mechanism—a way we have been conditioned to feel safe.
The problem with trying to have control of everything is that we actually don’t have control of most things. We end up feeling more out of control, hold anger and resentment, and generally feel drained when focusing too much time and energy on things we cannot control. By completing the reflection exercise that follows, you will be able to (1) identify what’s draining your energy, (2) determine the energy drainers that are in your control vs. out of your control, and (3) begin to let go of what you can’t control. Ultimately, by letting go of energy drainers that are not in your control, you will feel less tired, more focused, more open to the world around you, and more at peace.
Here’s how to do it:
Make a list of all the things that are on your mind and draining your energy.
Next to each item indicate whether it is in your control, somewhat in your control, or not in your control.
For each item that is out of your control, begin practicing letting it go. Shift your perspective, share your feedback to any relevant individuals if applicable, do some breath work and meditation, or sweat it out doing whatever workout you like to do. This part takes practice and time, so just pick one thing on your list at a time. Remember, this is a journey.
I’ve included a list below that I put together based on common things that come up for my educator friends and clients as a reference point. Please note that some of the items on this list may not be in the same category as yours. Our lives are not all the same so there is probably a reason as to why yours is in one place and someone else’s is in another. There aren’t necessarily any wrong answers here! Just be honest with yourself as you complete the reflection.
I leave you with this question…
What kind of energy do you want feel as you experience your “snow day” ? Will it be an energy drainer (e.g., focusing on rescheduling everything/how will all of this ever get done, the dread of shoveling and salty roads) OR will you find peace amidst the weather’s whims?
Wishing you peace, my friends!
