It’s December! Christmas time! Time for my personal favorite popular Christmas song.
Yeah. It’s the best.
In addition to singing along with Mariah Carey, I like to say that one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. Here’s the quote:
“In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.”
— Deepak Chopra
Now, you might read that quote and think that it’s pretty self-explanatory. How am I going to write a blog post about this simple straightforward statement? Why don’t I just put it on one of those bright-colored Facebook backgrounds, post the quote, and call it a day?
Well, aside from the fact that I don’t actually know how to do that, the reason is simple. I like more than just the words of this quote. I like the imagery. I confess I do not know a whole lot about Deepak Chopra, and I am far from what you would call “new age.” But in this case, the visualization really sticks with me. Think about it:
It is December. You have holiday parties, and Christmas shopping, and school events, and work deadlines. That is all in addition to the normal and everyday chaos of your life. If you are anything like me, you feel this stuff start to build up around you. Internally, you match the increasing stress with rising anxiety. Without meaning to, you tense up, you get more tightly wound, and you try to go faster. You rush, but you fall farther behind. You watch outside you as things build up, and you feel like you have less control. Things slip out of your grasp.
Now take this quote. I picture the rising stress and anxiety, the increasing demands on time and effort, as a building storm. Maybe it’s a farm house out in the Midwest, or a beach in California, or a quite neighborhood street on the East coast, or a ranch in Texas. At first, there is just a gentle gust of wind from time to time. But gradually, leaves start rustling. Screen doors get whipped open. Animals start running for cover. The winds howl, and dark clouds roll in. Perhaps a heavy rain sets in, and before you know it – chaos reigns.
Without this quote, the temptation is to match that energy level: to race around securing things, and yelling to others, and generally panicking. But the visual cue here is striking: keep stillness. I imagine myself as a secure cellar, or a safe home, or a cave, or even just a rock. Watch those rocks during the storm. Do they panic? Do they try to match the intensity of the storm? No. They are just rocks. Inside a cave, or a cellar, it is quiet. It is peaceful. It is still. The chaos goes on; we are still aware of it. But rather than engage in it, we can abide it, and dictate how we deal with it – our way.
So this is my challenge to myself this week. When the chaos infringes – when it increases my anxiety, and encourages me to be frazzled and frantic – I will resist. I will picture that calm spot. I will be the rock.
Or maybe just put on some nice, relaxing Christmas music.
Have a great week everybody.