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Contribution By: Kacey Mya Bradley from The Drifter Collective
For several years, I walked through my life like a zombie. I moaned at the endless demands made of me and stumbled to the coffee pot every morning. I flinched at the rays of sunlight shining through the window instead of embracing the warmth and opportunity of a new day. Somewhere along the way, I had lost the passion of living life.
Once I realized this change, I knew I had to find my way back. Now on certain days, I still stumble to the coffee pot, but I understand that it’s not about living life to the fullest. Instead, I try to appreciate what each day offers. I honor my life, by living it passionately. This is how I have learned to stay passionate throughout my life and make everyday meaningful.
Love the cycle of moon and sun.
The adage is true: “Time flies by,” with every moonset and sunrise. One season will follow another, and before you realize it, another ten years have passed. Obviously, you won’t be able to catch every rising or setting of the sun and moon, but at least once in your life, take the time to experience it.
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In the evening, pause at a westward facing window, and watch the room become a butter yellow as shadow and warmth mix to paint the walls with comforting light. Love every turn of the sun and moon, whether you are dreaming, working or watching. These cycles are rhythmic, like your life, but that doesn’t make them any less phenomenal.
Appreciate natural moments of Silence.
If you’ve ever tried to meditate, you’ll notice that sometimes it feels forced. Meditation isn’t for everyone. It’s still possible to enjoy silence with an active mind and heart, and discover your inner peace. So, don’t force it. Don’t force anything to happen in your life.
What is silence to you? Have you ever left in the house in the middle of the night to just drive? It’s a literal metaphor for stealing time for yourself. Appreciating natural moments of silence is about claiming awareness within those moments.
Don’t take in so much at once. Close your eyes and focus on your heartbeat or on your breathing, which will help you start to learn how to release stress in a positive way from your daily life. Let the sounds of a bustling coffee shop meld together. When walking, stop and stare up at the blue of the sky. It’s okay to let yourself get lost in a moment, especially when you have found a part of yourself you haven’t “spoken to” in a long time. Let life speak to you in these moments.
Savor small moments with your senses
Once you have discovered your personal place of stillness, all of your senses will sharpen. Colors will appear brighter. You’ll leave the grocery store one evening, look up, and see the moth flitting by the lamp post in the parking lot. Watch it strive to new heights that seem, at first, insignificant.
Make the ordinary come alive. Close your eyes and taste anew: pears, apples and oranges. Pick green beans from the garden, and enjoy the lingering scent of them, long after you’ve snapped the ends off to prep for cooking. There are extraordinary moments in the everyday to savor.
Ignite your inner muse with creative activities
Remember those “hobbies” that you gave up because you didn’t have time? Creativity and self-expression are often secondary to getting the bills paid and other necessary duties.
Did you used to write poetry, concoct herbal remedies or draw portraits? Have you forgotten most of the Spanish you learned a few years ago? Is there another language, or class that you’ve always wanted to take? Don’t hold yourself back. Self-expression is vital to being and living a passionate life.
Take time to love your body
Enjoy a bubble bath by candlelight, sure. Give your body the nutrients and exercise it needs. Enjoy your body for the wonder that it is, all that it does just to keep you alive. Prepare and eat a decadent meal. Feed yourself strawberries dipped in chocolate. Drink enough water, silly. Stretch your legs and take a long walk. Massage your shoulders when they ache. Touch yourself with reverence.
Don’t let others’ judgmental eyes tell you how to feel about your own body. You are not a number. Love your body, and don’t blame it for perceived lack in life. Look deeply into your own eyes and claim your beauty.
How does one live life to the fullest? Life has its ups and downs, just like the sun rises and sets. It’s an old metaphor, but one that has truth.
Rediscover the passion in your life. Let it spark within you, and wake up ready to experience a new day, even if you zone out every once-in-a-while. You’re just caught up in the beauty of the moment.