Success! We went to the meditation course last night and I got exactly the result I was hoping for!
During our first foray into meditation, our instructor told us one of life's lessons: "expectations reduce the joy in life." So with that sentiment, I went into it with an open mind, knowing that whatever happened, I just wanted to feel better afterwards. And I am happy to report that I did! I still do!
This particular course is only $5 and starts with a 20-25 minute "lesson" on meditation, followed by a 30 minute guided meditation. Last night's talk focused on how well-known Colorado is for being one of the healthiest states. Physically. But that we don't always do the necessary "exercises" for our mind. Insert meditation. We focused on the importance of being able to control our minds when toxic or negative thoughts threaten to take over. Sounds so simple, but in all honesty, I think we allow these types of take-overs more often than we may realize.
Our instructor gave a very simple example, and again, it sounds so obvious. Yet, I have found myself in this situation more than I care to admit. Say your car breaks down on the side of the road. You have a problem. If you allow this inconvenience to take over your mind, you now have two problems. And the one you added to the mix does nothing to help you.
These are welcome challenges for me. As I have mentioned before, Chris is so much better at this than I am. The first time we traveled together, I remember getting in late to our destination after missing our first flight. Chris called the rental car company from the terminal to figure out how to get to the rental pick-up. He was so polite and nice to the person on the other end, thanking them for their help before hanging up. I looked to him for direction, asking which way we needed to go. His response? "They're closed. We can't get a car." You never would have been able to guess that this was the answer he was given on the phone, because he was still so positive and happy.
This continues to be a lesson for me, one that I call on quite often. It is easy to let things bring us down, but how much better will we feel if we roll with the punches and laugh our way through it? I have some really good friends who are pros at this. My hope is that I can continue to learn from their example.
I left last night's class feeling more calm than I had in recent memory. Peaceful, really. It was a welcome surprise for me, and I hope I can continue to make this a priority in my life.
Well, another thing checked off my Summer Bucket List! Feeling energized and motivated to continue my journey of self-growth.
