What does wellness mean to you? Maybe your definition has been altered this year while navigating a world that seems to be turned upside down amid a global detox and you are looking to find your well-being footing.
You may have feelings of uncertainty, chaos, fear and so many other less-than-optimal emotions that can push you into feelings of overwhelm, lack of focus and even grief. Feeling the pain of loss of a life that is no longer the same. If left unattended, these emotions can turn into a runaway train that terminates in despair or dis-ease.
Guess what? You do not have to allow it. There is calm just below the surface of choppy waters.
I invite you to look at the importance of “perspective” when it comes to health and well-being. And understand the impact—the constant pelting of external information like a hailstorm—that it’s having on you. There is so much to follow now online, (emails, social media, mainstream news) that you may not be able to decipher what is truth and what is fiction. Things seem to change from moment to moment and flip sides, leaving one taking the mental and emotional roller coaster ride.
[Related podcast: Maintaining Mindfulness in a Chaotic Time With Lee Papa]
If this is you, you are in the eye of the storm. Lean in as the “participant” instead of stepping back and being the “observer.” Take a deep breath. Embrace your critical thinking as it relates to your freedoms of choice. Will you allow external forces to whip you around and run you over, or will you take the empowering mindfulness reins through awareness in nonjudgement and dwell in the peace that naturally resides within you? It is a choice.
Something as simple as acknowledging the power of words will make an impact on your well-being. Think about the word “wellness” itself. It is a thriving word, and the word “illness” is a depleted word. Do you feel the difference? Are you affirming a word that you do not want to create?
What about the phrase “new normal?” How does that feel? It feels like a depleted phrase to me. How about instead, you choose a phrase or word purposely with intention that conveys something wonderful. “I am in the process of creating a magnificent life.” You can use that one until you find your own.
This can be an exciting time of progress, co-creation, unity and a massive expansion in our evolution that has an energy of excitement and prosperity. Choosing your words and your thoughts carefully, now more than ever, is imperative to whether you thrive or dive.
With so many people in the meetings and hospitality industry either working from home, furloughed or laid off—or just worried about their future—I developed the following wellness and mindfulness techniques to provide support.
Lee Papa’s Wellness and Mindfulness Techniques to Calm the Chaos
- Choose: Make the decision to forge ahead on the path to thriving—positive thinking works wonders.
- Meditation: Do it daily. Need help? Guided meditations are a great place to start.
- Be the observer: Practice mindfulness and awareness in nonjudgement (as much as possible).
- Visualization: Place in your mind’s eye a personal scene of the peace, well-being and abundance. Feel the feeling of it like it is a memory.
Intention and affirmation: Through daily affirmations, mantras and intention setting, the mind is imprinting a pattern for the desired outcome.- Appreciation: Embark on a written daily gratitude practice that focuses you on that which is good.
- Be word aware: When you say or think something that is not in alignment with your future desire, literally say “cancel-clear” and rephrase it, like you are erasing the energetic imprint of the phrase or thought.
- Live in the now: Prioritize your “beingness” over your “doingness.”
- Cleanse: Release the toxins in your life (food, cleaning products, people).
- Embrace healthy living: Prepare a healthy lifestyle through the following:
- Spiritual practice (prayer, meditation, quiet contemplation in nature)
- Fuel (food, water, nutrients)
- Exercise (a daily walk will do the trick if possible, or anything that gets the body moving regularly)
- Prepare a personal “medi-chest” (essential oils, supplements, natural remedies, bath salts)
- Be discerning: What you see and hear is imprinting your psyche, so select carefully what you put into the windows of your soul (movies, music, social media, conversations, etc.).
- Reconnect to recharge: Get reconnected with your values and what is important to you.
- Serve others: Emphasize service to others instead of service to self.
- Practice respect: Be true to yourself, your word and your beliefs, and respect others’ beliefs.
- The Golden Rule: Remember kindness.
Do you feel desperate or in need of help? Please ask for help—from a friend, a family member, a hotline or a trusted coach/advisor. You are not alone.
Lee Papa’s Tonic for Tumultuous Times
Leading wellness and mindfulness expert Lee Papa—who is also a fixture in the meetings industry events world with her Mindfulness Lounge™—has published a new book that couldn’t be better timed, considering all of the stressors in the world today.
A Year of Mindfulness for Beginners: Daily Mantras, Meditations and Prompts, published by Callisto Media, is a daily, 365-day companion that provides a source of inspiration, gentle guidance and thought- and soul-provoking prompts to support readers through this time of transilience, helping them leap across abrupt change.
“With so many team members working from home, furloughed or laid off, this book—along with the carefully curated gift set options—are a thoughtful gift for attendees (in-person and virtual), employees, clients and as sponsorship opportunities,” Papa said. “We created these sets with an intention that exudes the message of ‘We care,’ which will be reinforced daily as the recipient journeys through each daily page and journals their soul’s experience. It’s a great way to support and serve.”
For more information about Lee Papa and the variety of mindfulness-focused services and products she offers, visit http://leepapa.com.
Read next: Lee Papa Shares Tips on Dealing With Stress at Meetings
