There have been many ups and downs in my life, as I think all of us have our own struggles, but only with age have I realized that much of our pain is self-inflicted. We all live our daily lives consumed by too much social media (a pressure of just keeping up with social standards) and an overwhelming workload. Our minds never get a break from thinking, and as a result, I really do believe it has caused an uptick of depression in our society.
We overthink and over analyze and as a result from that comes fear, anxiety, self-doubt and a disconnected soul.
I think back to when I was a teen without a cell phone and how wonderful my alone time was because your mind actually had a chance for a break. There is always a sense of nostalgia when listening to TLC, Amy Grant, obviously Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Wilson Phillips and The Cranberries. An era when a person had a chance to reflect and enjoy the present moment without distractions. Today we are constantly being interrupted by our phones with dings from emails or that someone just posted.
It takes a lot of effort in this 21st Century to calm your mind in silence and many of us don’t take the time to do it. To be honest, we should all look at meditation as a way to calm down our overstimulated brains as a daily exercise, because when we truly feel connected, it is always during moments of reflection and appreciation for what we have currently.
Meditation has not only helped me to be a very self-aware, spiritual person, but it has also led me to find so much joy in my day-to-day living because with it I am truly capable of living in the present moment. I remember just the other night I almost cried tears of joy from being so thankful for the moment I was living in right now. It was my teenage son, my fiancé and our two goldendoodles watching a movie on the couch playing around and laughing at so many things. And I remember thinking in that moment, it won’t always be like this. My son is going to have his own family one day, our fur babies will age faster than us and it truly brought tears to my eyes by just being aware of feeling PRESENT. It was a moment of realizing that we are all healthy, happy and joyous, and most importantly, together.
How often do we take those things for granted because our minds are always too consumed by other thoughts about work, what their next step is going to be, how will their meeting go tomorrow, what does he think of me, what does she think of me, how many likes does my post have…I mean the list can go on forever!
What we have to become more in tuned with is the appreciation for the present moment and the realization that you are not going to get these moments back. And if your mind isn’t present then you miss out on the one true joy of just living and experiencing life with loved ones. Our physical existence certainly does not last forever, life is short, and it’s even shorter when you lack an appreciation for the here and now. Help yourself to stay in tuned with gratitude by taking 10-20 minutes a day to just sit in silence and calm your mind. Take deep breaths and allow yourself to be reminded of everything you have to be grateful for right now. I promise it will do wonders for your soul, and slowly but surely, only positivity will surround you. If you need extra help in learning how to meditate, my girl Gabby Bernstein knows what’s up click here to read her latest blog post, “A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation”.
Thank you, beautiful souls, for taking time out of your day to read my message. Sending you lots of positive light and love your way today and everyday.
xoxo,
Erica Deligne
