Around and around we would spin squealing with joy as our world became a dizzy blur. The runners would periodically jump off and pushed even harder––the adrenaline rush was thrilling but it also brought up ripples of fear, anxiety, and sometimes, even terror. If you were hanging on to the outer edge, the ride was even more intense. Sometimes it felt like you were going to be thrown off and flung into the stratosphere––maybe even thrown into oblivion! But if you moved closer to the center of the merry-go-round, the ride was still fun but slightly less riddled with fear.
The global upheaval and unrest life of today is creating an experience that feels vaguely similar to my childhood rides on the merry-go-round. I find that when I allow myself to get caught up in the anxiety and overwhelm of others, hanging on the outer edge, I lose touch with my center, and what is really important to me. This loss of centeredness can leave me feeling overwhelmed and dizzy with anxiety and fear. However, when I allow a deep instinctual part of me to crawl closer to my center, I am not only able to enjoy the ride more, but I also am able to keep my heart open and help others find more enjoyment in the ride.
Since we aren’t riding on a merry-go-around right now, how can we apply this metaphor to our lives? Ask yourself, “What can help me reclaim or move more closely to my center?” If the answer is stillness—then find a way to be still even if it is just for five minutes. If the answer is doing something fun, even if you can’t do something at that moment, you can probably take five minutes and recall something you did that was really fun. That alone can change your mental state and subsequently have a positive impact on your body, mind, and spirit. If the answer is movement or exercise—even if you can’t go for a long run, hike, or bike ride, you can get up and walk for a few minutes with the intention of pulling yourself more into your center. We always have a choice! We can move through life centered and clear or anxious and overwhelmed.
With this in mind, I invite you to explore some of the ICWIB! art activities and videos for FREE because they are also wonderful way to pull yourself more fully into your center and subsequently create a more joy filled life.
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