What a unique time we find ourselves in right now. My hope is that you and your family are safe and well, even if many of us are starting to go a bit stir-crazy at home!
I believe that, now more than ever, we have a beautiful opportunity to get crystal clear on what is most important to each of us, and to begin to live our lives in authentic alignment with those values.
Why? Because authentic alignment allows us to make decisions and take actions from a place of clarity and confidence, instead of a place of doubt and uncertainty. This is especially important when making financial decisions, as decisions about money have the ability to impact so many areas of our lives.
During this unique time, many of us are becoming more aware of and wanting to reflect on what matters most. I know it is not always easy to do, especially with all the uncertainty each of us is dealing with right now.
Which is why I want to share a powerful tool that we can use to help us gain clarity on what matters most to us, especially in times of uncertainty. What I love about this tool is that its available to each of us whenever we need it and it requires very little effort on our part. This incredible tool I’m referring to is our breath…
So, I want to invite you to give yourself permission to take a few moments…right now…and just breathe. Take at least five deep, slow, cleansing breaths through your nose…allowing your body and mind to relax. Once you are feeling more relaxed, place your hand over your heart, and ask yourself the following question:
In this space, what is my heart telling me is most important to me?
Spend a few minutes with this question…continuing to breathe. You may receive insights right away, or later on as you go about your day. Whenever they come to mind, write them down so that you can reflect on them later. I believe that in times of uncertainty there is nothing more empowering than having immense clarity around what is most important to you and knowing how to align your life and your resources with those priorities.
“…when the breath is calmed, the mind too will be still…”
– Svatmarama, Hatha Yoga Pradipika
It is during this unique time that I have begun relying more and more on my breath to gain clarity around what is most important to me. In fact, recently, my husband and I had a financial transaction fall through. We had our hearts set on a condo that was for rent but at the last minute, our future potential landlord pulled out. I was so disappointed…I may have even cried when I found out the deal fell through.
Then my sadness turned to worry, and I began to stress about our future living situation. Where were we going to live? Given everything going on right now, when are we going to be able to move? It was at this point that I reminded myself to breathe…just breathe. Something I had to remind myself to do each time this thought pattern showed up.
And as I kept breathing, supporting my body and mind in becoming more relaxed, I was able to get clear on what was truly important: my husband and I are safe and healthy and we will find the perfect rental for us, when the time comes to move.
I have learned that in the space of calm and relaxation is where we receive the most clarity.
My hope is that you will take a few moments to breathe every time you feel worried, stressed or anxious. Knowing that you have this powerful tool available to you, whenever you need it. May your week be filled with calm and clarity…and in those moments when it isn’t…remember to breathe…you’ve got this!