Awareness with a Beginner’s Mind
Start the day with an affirmation.
“Today I will live my life with a sense of wonder and amazement in everything I do”.
Having a beginner’s mind is such a powerful and playful practice to embody in all aspects of life. When we have a fixed mindset and believe we have all the answers, it leaves nothing left to experience and we never grow.
Transformation happens when we trust ourselves to be curious, allow ourselves to be patient and committed to our full selves - physically and emotionally and with all our flaws and imperfections.
Watch happy, young children on the playground or in a preschool classroom willing to try anything. They trust themselves to silly-dance, laugh, try, cry, and fail, unapologetically. We love their courage and enthusiasm, but as we age and go through the various stages in life, we lose our confidence and innate desire to embody this kind of playful. We play it safe and color inside the lines, instead of outside the lines. It doesn’t matter how old you are, being curious and playful is a right of passage, at any age.
As we get older, we hold back, stop speaking our truth, play small and safe. When we stop trying to be perfect and lean into curiosity and ask lots of questions, we learn valuable lessons along the way. It’s like being on an adventure or exploration with what’s possible.
Have you ever heard of the expression, “Do something that scares you everyday”?
This small but powerful quote changed my life on many levels. When I think “I can’t”, I remember these words and ask myself, “What’s the worst thing that could happen”? Usually the answer is, I might fail, I might lose, I don’t have it all figured out yet, or the best one, I will disappoint myself and others. The truth is IF I DON’T TRY, or IF YOU DON’T TRY, we will NEVER KNOW our true strengths (and weaknesses). Freedom comes from this place. Free yourself from guilt, doubt, fear, perfectionism, and disappointment, by never regretting not trying.
Make a list of things you want for yourself but are afraid of trying. Start to check them off. They don’t have to be extreme. Here are some examples that come to mind to help inspire you…
Take rest breaks during your day to have more clarity and focus. Children take naps so why can’t you. Rest can feel scary for people because we have to stop doing and just be.
Get outside in nature and try a new activity or sport, by yourself or with a group.
Call a friend or family member who’s been on your mind that you haven't talked to for a while to say “hello”.
Trust yourself to speak up.
Join a group fitness class, hiking group, art class…
Do you want to feel more healthy and better about the way you feel? What’s one small step you can do today to help you get started?
Take an art class. Paint, draw, knit or sew. It’s good for your brain and your confidence to create with your hands.
Travel solo. Near or far. It might be a day trip to a museum or coffee shop or somewhere even further and for longer.
Start to explore foods you’ve never tried before and experiment in the kitchen with new and healthy recipes on the weekends, when you have more time.
Change it up inside: Redecorate a room just by changing things around and pulling items from other areas of the house. Make a happy place for yourself to enjoy in your home everyday that brings you joy.
You get the idea! What’s on your list? Remember, if you don’t try, you will never know.
Try making a list of one thing you’ve already tried and considered it to be a failure, or that you were not appreciated, or you worried about what other people will think. Did you give up before you actually started? Was there a learning curve that kept you from finishing? What did you learn from this experience? We always learn something and if we believe in ourselves and trust our intuition, the benefits of trying are immeasurable. So, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again.
Practice being a beginner with a sense of curiosity. Drop out of your head and into your heart!
It feels good to feel good and it doesn’t happen magically. It takes consistency, patience and a sense of simplicity to bring you to this sense of freedom. These are my core values and how I approach life as a coach, mother, daughter, wife, and human being every day.
Create a life for yourself, not from what you know but from what you don’t know.You’ll begin to imagine more and more, and see growth and possibility that inspires you to keep living a life more aligned with who you are. Becoming and embodying a more healthy, vibrant version of yourself. It’s a ripple effect.
