Renewal

Spring is a time of renewal in nature and it reminds us to renew as well. One of the opportunities that comes with being faced with a serious illness is that of renewing while recovering. Heart disease may have forced you to look at what you value, what is close and important to your heart.
Your values provide you with guide posts for how to live your full life. By recognizing and paying attention to these values you can stay on your track. You may be used to thinking in terms of priorities, if you look below these, and ask yourself what is so important about this priority you will probably find a value. At first, your priority may just seem like the “right thing”, but when you look deeper there may be more individual importance. Here are a couple of examples, cleaning the house may reflect the value you have in terms of the aesthetics and healthy environment of where you live; being on time may reflect a value related to respect for your own as well as another’s time. By noticing what you value, you can try to live in a way that is consistent with your values. When you do so, life is more satisfying and there is less internal conflict.
To check in with what you value, you might want to take a few minutes during the day to do some deep breathing, even 5 deep breaths. Here are several questions you might ask yourself. Check in with your heart, what’s the rhythm and rate like? How are you feeling in the moment? What is motivating you to do what you are doing? What is the purpose of what you are doing (get a bigger picture)? Use the information to guide you. Is there something you would want to change? What could you do to make this activity more heart friendly?
This spring, make time to check in with what is going on in your body as well as to ask yourself some questions which will lead to your renewal. Take advantage of this annual opportunity to live according to your values and make the best of your life.
To explore how you can renew your life with a supportive guide, contact me.
Dina, 203 744-YOU3 (9683)