“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” Albert Einstein
For there to be life, trees, flowers, grass, roots must find their way through the darkness of the earth and often through rock. The religions scholars define a miracle as something that cannot be explained by the laws of nature.
So when you find a dandelion pushing its way through a crack you cannot see in your driveway, you do not think miracle. The miracle of flowers growing in cement or even a tree pushing through cement, asphalt, or a rock seems common place. Most of the time we do not see a miracle in that dandylion and all too often think of it as just a weed and troublesome at that.
But think about it in terms of the miracle of creation, and hopefully, you understand what Einstein was saying . We diminish all that is and that includes our well-being when fail to see the miracle of life.
Whether you reject the idea of a creator and think all that is is accidental you miss much by ignoring the wonder of it all. Morever, you limit your emotional strength. When you are in touch with the miraculous, you know what matters, you feel blessed by what you have been given at this moment in time, you live with greater awareness and greater gratitude.
In the rush and turmoil of today’s life finding the miracles requires some diligence. This is most true when we are facing a stone wall of sadness. or are failing to find our way. What to do? This quick and easy emotional fitness exercise improves your odds of doing as Einstein suggests.
- Turn off all electronic distractions. Get comfortable.Take a minute to breathe softly and slowly.
- Don’t try to control anything, just breathe and notice how it feels to breathe in and then out.
- Think of a starry, starry night. Imagine looking up into the heavens. Imagine all that has been created. Think about all the stars like our star. Think of all the possible unknown worlds above us, below us, around us. Wonder. Breathe. Smile gently.
- Think of a garden. Think of the flowers. Think of the bees, the butterflies, the birds. Think of the soil, the ground that supports the life that grows in it and walks on it. Think of all the life within the soil. The moles, other creatures, some too small to be seen, that crawl through the dirt and darkness so plants can grow. Wonder. Breathe. Smile softly.
- Think of your body. Think of the how skin covers muscles, bones hold us erect. Think about your blood flowing through our veins. Think of how you move, how you think. Think of how one person connects to another to create life. Wonder. Breathe.Think of how you are part of this marvelous whole. You are one with the stars, you are one with the earth, you are one with all others. Wonder, Breathe. Be grateful.
- Lace your fingers together, palms facing out.Take a deep breath, reach out and up with your arms, hold for a count of five,Slowly breathe out while you lower your arms, unlace your fingers.think of the wonders of breathing, moving, being. smile gently and softly say, “Thank You.”
Warning: Only do the physical stretching if you are free of back problems or other medical conditions that might call for caution. If in doubt ask your doctor, and drop that part of the exercise until you get medical approval.
This exercise can be completed in two minutes or less; longer and slower is better.
If the exercise does not relax and comfort you more might be needed. What is needed most often is practice. K. Anders Ericsson, world recognized expert on experts, notes that to star at any skill thousands of repetitions are required adding up to years of intensive effort.
The good news for learning this exercise is that once learned it can be completed in two minutes or less. Longer and slower is best, but not necessary.
Don’t feel finding the time to practice is possible, then your life is pushing you toward a dangerous stress level or sadness and pain are calling, the more you have practiced this Emotional Fitness exercise, you more you are sustained when you most need sustaining.
Parenting tip
Model your belief in the miraculous. Then consciously teach your child to seek beauty; finally, as s/he grows in understanding discuss how all is a miracle and teach the exercise you just learned.
IMPROVE YOUR THINKING SKILLS NOW
How? Answer this DAILY PROMPT Clone Wars If you could clone yourself, how would you split up your responsibilities?
My thoughts: One of the miracles of life is that even identical twins quickly become un-cloned although similar in some things. Our genes – how we would be cloned remain the same, but two things change who we become. Our various personal experiences and then the beliefs we create from those experiences.
Of course, it would be nice to have a near clone that I could assign to be my commputer tech and one who had been genetically modified to become an error free editor (I have dysgraphia and why you see errors here and there that spell child does not catch. So a clone will not work.
However, maybe, there will be a money miracle coming my way and I can hire a non-clone to take on the things I cannot do so well.
LINKS OF INTEREST
- How various religions define miracle (en.wikipedia.org)
- Emotional intelligence (psychology.about.com)
- The EFTI Store (eftistore.com)
- Word Press Daily Prompt (wordpress.com)
FREE POSTER COACHES
Don’t think you can afford a life coach? Like a life coach, EFTI’s poster coaches inspire, teach, motivate, and reinforce thinking about what matters. To use, print up in color and post there it will be seen often. Poster Coaches can also be used at Family Meetings to start a discussion about what matters.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO
Keep working to stay strong, I work hard to do the same . As noted above, I am not perfect, no one is and this week;s post will be all about praising imperfection.
Remember’s sharing is caring and the easiest way to practice kindness, another Easy Emotional Fitness Exercise is to share this post if you found it helpful. Thank you.
Katherine
Emotional Fitness 