Let's Get Back to Zen, Shall We? Try These 6 Steps (funny story extra)

Photo Credit:  Examinedexistence.com

I am a firm believer in Spirit.  Yup, I'm that girl.  The girl whose closest friends call the Hippy.  I believe in chakras, divinity, the Spirit Realm (even wrote about it in my first two published books, yay!), and all that stuff that some people called fufu.  What's not so fufu is feeling out of sorts.  I'm not talking about going through a run-of-the-mill crisis.  I'm talking about those days or even sometimes those weeks when you feel on the fence.  Let's give an example:  "I don't know if I want to be pissed off at the world or plain not give a shit".  We all know that feeling.  It's a detached feeling from our own life or the outside world, and most of the time both.  When we aren't feeling particularly self-aligned, it isn't necessarily terrible for the first day.  Hey, we all need to take a break, but after that, and I don't know about you, but I tend to get on my own damn nerves.  I like movement, a plan, a goal, something, but most of all I like the feeling of being, well, quite zen about some stuffs.  I don't function well in a ton of chaos for a very long time.  Most Empaths don't, by nature.  I'm also not a fan of not feeling anything either.  So, through the years I have read a million things about how to get your A) groove back, or B) Alignment, or C) Feel Goods, whatever you prefer to call it.  I call it plain old getting in tune with spirit, my higher self.  It's like a time out from the detachment and actively moving towards "getting all kinds of right" with life again so I can "stop getting on my own damn nerves".

1.  Get outside barefoot and walk in the grass.  I know.  It sounds hokey, but it works.  I used to think the same thing until I actually tried it one day and was like "huh, sooooooo this was kinda nice".  I didn't dare tell a soul that, but it did help me tremendously.  I work from home and at times the four walls can close in on me, especially in the spring, summer and fall months when I would prefer to be out of the house.  It an be isolating, too.  Soaking up some good old fashioned vitamin-D at the same time is a bonus.  A good 10 minutes barefoot, walking around in your backyard will actually help I promise.  Your neighbors will think you have lost your damn mind, but we don't care about them right now.  We are getting our zen.  **

2.  Show some love.  No, I don't mean like a booty call here.  I mean reach out to someone that has been on your mind of late, or who may need some help.  If no one like that is around, offer up a random act of kindness to a stranger.  Pay for coffee, pay for the toll, hold the door for someone and not give them the evil eye when they are taking too long to get to said door when knees to chest should be happening (hey, sometimes we gotta dig deep or maybe that's just me.  I might need to get barefoot in the backyard soon if that's all I got for you at the moment.  ha!).  You get the gist.  Although, I can say that there have been occasions I will go to my cabinets, round up some food and take it a local shelter/outreach program here by my house, and that really does help a lot.  Volunteering of your time at any of the local shelters or active outreach charities always help.

3.  Hang out with a kid.  See, this is an easy one for me.  I have two boys.  They drive me batshit crazy most of the time and are 70% of the reason I'm in my backyard walking in the grass, half talking to myself, hair like I was in a wind tunnel but wasn't, and bags under my eyes, in a robe with coffee, to begin with. If that doesn't pain a picture for you I'm not sure what will.  I digress.  They are teenagers, they are daredevils, they are slobs, they eat me out of house and home, BUT!  for the love of all that is wonderful in heavens and on Earth I love them with every fiber of my being.  On the days when we get to plain hang out, chat about our week, play a video game together, go for  bike ride or a hike,  or even play a game of cards, I always feel better.  Always.  Kids have this thing about them that reminds you of what it was like not only when you were a kid, but how carefree that life felt.  They aren't strung out on bills, on life, the ex, work, etc. They are just there, in the moment, all the time.  It totally helps that my kids are all kinds of freakin hilarious, too.  I walk away with my heart full and my stress is gone.  If you don't have a kid of your own, borrow a friends kid.  hahahahaha yes, I said it.  Someone has a spare kid they will lend you especially if they have more than 1 under the age of 5.  I promise.

4.  Change your sheets.  There is something to be said about a fresh pair of cotton sheets on the bed.  If you like satin or some other fabric or blend, go with that.  I personally prefer cotton.  That freshly cleaned bed sheets feeling is just the best.  When you slide into bed over soft sheets on your legs it makes the world feel like a happier place.

5.  Clean up!  I know.  When you feel like Ms. Detachedlady it's hard to get any kid of motivation to do much of anything, but for many, many people, and sometimes unknown to even them, clutter or too many rooms that need cleaning will wear you down after a while.  Not only is the energy bad with a cluttered space, but it can be really overwhelming to your subconscious, too.  When I tend to let things go around here it starts to drive me crazy.  I can't think straight and the house feels suffocating.  Having things in their places and clean really does help, and as soon as you're done, you will feel much lighter.  The side-effect of clean and tidy?  You feel like you can NOW do something else.  Like slip into bed on your clean sheets and take a nap.  What?  That's a legitimate goal.  Is that me again?  Nah, can't be.

6.  Commune with nature.  This time I mean go for a hike in the woods or go sit by the ocean, lake or bay.  Put on some sneakers or hiking boots, and hit the hills.  The movement will naturally get your endorphins up and you will be surrounded by mother nature in all of her glory as you traverse a trail.  Water, naturally, is a diffuser of energy and removes toxins, so even by sitting and listening to the rhythmic sounds of the waves or the lapping of water, it is an all natural way to reduce any underlying issues that could be weighing you down.  If you are unable to do any of that, an Epsom salt bath infused with essential oils like lavender and eucalyptus can bring you back to zen in no time.


**Funny story.  The second time I ever walked around in my backyard barefoot, I happened to do that in a pair of cut off sweatpants and a t-shirt with no bra.  It wasn't like I felt the need to dress up, right?  So, I did my thing, walked around, felt better, and during the walking I happened to see that the mail lady came through the front yard.  I walked through the house and out the front door to grab the mail.  For some reason bees set up shop in the fascia above my front door every stinkin year, of which I'm deathly allergic to.  I swell up to the size of a blimp wherever I'm stung, throat closes up, need an EpiPen, the whole shabang.  I saw my neighbor who lives across the street, gave a wave and turned around to go back into the house when I felt a bee land right on my neck.  I immediately slapped at it and knocked it INSIDE my t-shirt.  Want to know what I did?  Do ya?  Well for starters I started flipping the hell out, that's what I did.  I ran into the front yard, hands flailing about, screaming like my ass was on fire.  Know what I did next?  In my shear panic and without thinking......I took my t-shirt off, threw it to the ground screaming like a spider monkey.  It was a second or two before I realized that I had completely full frontal flashed my neighbor like a stark raving lunatic.  The upside?  I was no longer un-zenny.  Oh no.  I was feeling all kinds of things right then, but none of them, I assure you, was feeling detached nor on the fence about anything.  The downside?  My neighbor gave me a thumbs up and said anytime I want to take care of his bee problem I can come on over.  He still smiles at me.  That was 2 years go.  Another upside?  It's funny as hell and laughter is always great when you're in a bit of a funk.

-Dani

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