“Oh, morning sun, heal my pain.”

This morning, I woke up to a new moon: a new day, a clean slate & a new beginning. We, as a collective humanity, have been faced with trying times in the midst of this global pandemic. One might ask, where do we find peace? How does one cope with this? What is next?

Although those questions are valid, we must put them to the side for a moment as we find ourselves in the present. We must stay grounded and force our minds back down to earth. There is a cosmic shift happening as we speak, perhaps a new beginning. The current circumstances are forcing the masses to look within, to search for meaning amongst the madness, to slow down.

The future is uncertain. The state of the world is changing drastically day by day, even hour by hour. We are bombarded with external fear, anxiety, anger, sadness, madness, etc. It is easy to submit to the external instead of focusing on the peace within. Intense emotions are running high. It is okay to let yourself feel these emotions but do not become a slave to these emotions – especially if these emotions did not originate from within.

During this time, staying grounded is essential. Make sure to schedule time out of your day to unwind, to read, to walk, to play, to just be. Mindfulness and living with intention will drastically change how you make decisions and how you react to these external factors. Grounding goes hand in hand with self awareness; it is important to know certain patterns and behaviors that you fall into in times of hardship.

Practicing Gratitude

This year has been challenging for me, to say the least. I’ve had to work on healing deep wounds (& revisiting them), face the loss of a loved one, and try to find purpose in my current circumstances. Throughout it all, I have certainly felt unstable but I have continually been looking within, reflecting, and turning towards God. My spirituality has broadened and deepened… I have been learning in growing in so many ways despite it all. Through my spiritual practices and personal reflections, the one thing that keeps resurfacing is gratitude.

The theme of gratitude has stayed at the forefront of my spiritual journey and every time I lose my balance, I am humbled by all that I am. Last week, I participated in a (virtual) spring equinox ceremony where we set our intentions for this new season of life… I sat still, I listened & the spirit spoke: gratitude. I am challenging myself to lean into everything I am called to do and here I am, writing about living with a grateful heart – even in the midst of a very stable and uncertain time.

The reoccurring theme of gratitude in my life has made me look at the world through a different lens. I have been struggling deeply with my core identity and purpose… among other things. Amidst wrestling with these deep subjects, I am constantly reminded of all that I was accomplished so far – the many trials and tribulations I have overcome.

It is easy to put a laser focus on certain issues I am struggling with… for example, something that is on all of our minds: the global pandemic. I often find myself in a downward spiral of anxious thoughts & worries (especially late at night): What if they run out of supplies? What if my grandparents get sick? What if this quaratine lasts for months?…… and the list goes on and on and on. I find myself reading articles for hours and feeling overwhelmed with anxiety.

I have to constantly keep myself in check, force myself to snap out of it and reframe my state of mind with the energy of a grateful heart. When I sit in gratitude, those negative thoughts float away and positive ones conquer them: I am grateful to have access to healthy food and clean water. I am thankful to have a safe space to be in quaratine. I get to spend extra time with my family and connecting with the ones that I love.

Writing those words fills me with joy. The negative thoughts don’t hold as much weight when I reframe the worries. When I put the current state of the world into perspective, I realize how much I take for granted. Gratitude changes everything – it transforms negative energy into positive energy making room for love.

I challenge you to look at this situation through a different lens. Humanity is going through a lot right now. Step away from the media, step away from the endless news reel, step away from people spreading fear… but do not fall into the negative thought patterns of the masses. Please do stay informed, take care of yourself + stay home but be responsible with what you are letting into your circle. Take this time to learn something new, connect with an old friend, relax, create, sing, dance, do whatever makes your soul happy, take things day by day, cultivate a grateful heart – look around you & appreciate all that you have.

I will leave you with these words……

“True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is sufficient, for he that is so wants nothing. The greatest blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not.” 

Seneca

Thank you for reading 🙂 Sending lots of love to all of humanity. We will get through this, together. Peace & love. – Kendall

*all photos in this post are from unsplash.