The season of the light is here. At the darkest time of the year, I think of the quote, “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” It’s been a tumultuous year in the world. Maybe you are experiencing personal challenges too, or perhaps things are going well for you right now. Whatever is happening, we have a choice to turn our minds to the dark view or find and follow what lights us up.
When we light our own candle, we can see better. We feel better too. I have a new affirmation that is fast becoming a belief. “Everything always works out well for me.” Recently, my car broke down in San Francisco. My check engine light was on and an ominous “engine power reduced!” message appeared on my dashboard. I switched off the engine, turned it on again. The car wouldn’t start.
I stared ahead frozen with disbelief and dread. What did this mean? Thousands of dollars in repairs?
I breathed deeply, calmed myself and reached for my phone to call AAA emergency services. “The tow truck will be 60 minutes,” I was told. “Everything always works out well for me,” I murmured weakly after I ended the call. I visualized feeling relief and hearing good news. A huge tow truck suddenly appeared before me in less than five minutes. I was so amazed I thought it must be for someone else but it was for me.
When you feel pressured and stressed by work, life and all the nitty gritty details clamoring for attention, your nervous system and brain move into survival, perfect for putting out fires but hopeless for calming you down. Don’t keep pushing through the stress. One of the best things you can do for self care at work is to stop and take a rest to recharge your brain.