It was a good day. A big day. We got some really fantastic news. The kind of news that you work towards for years. And I lost my balance.
It’s not always the tough things that throw us off. I also get discombobulated with good news. Good news is scary. It gives you more to lose. And even if the good news brings only good things, it brings change, which can also knock us off-balance.
So, I turned to the best friends I have— the people who keep me grounded, make me feel safe, and who love me unconditionally and wholly just as I am. My beloveds. I found myself in the sheep pasture, sitting on a fallen tree trunk, simply watching. The sheep grazed quietly. Every so often, one would come over and give me a nuzzle.
A bird landed on Major TeeHee Jones’ back. He just kept grazing. As he moved around the pasture, the bird picked through hi wool, looking for seeds and blades of grass.
Birds sang.
Grass rustled in the wind.
The sheep continued to graze.
I felt my heartbeat slow, my breathing grow deeper.
The air in the pasture smells so clean. Everywhere I look, there is only green grass, blue skies, or contented beings.
And I found myself calm, grounded, and reset. Ready to move forward and embrace that good news.
One of the best ways to care for yourself is to watch animals grazing. Turn up the volume, breathe, and try to stay present with the sheep through this short clip.
Afterwards, grab your journal or share in the comments:
How did you feel before watching this?
How do you feel now?
Why do you think that is?
Have you ever spent time with rescued farm animals? What was that like?
If not, why not?
Who do you turn to when you are off balance?
What more could you do to strengthen your ability to stay in balance?
Take a few minutes, before returning to your day, to breathe:
Inhale, 2, 3, 4
Hold 2, 3, 4,
Exhale 4, 3, 2, 1
Hold, 2, 3, 4
Inhale, 2, 3, 4
Hold 2, 3, 4
Exhale 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Hold 2, 3, 4
Inhale, 2, 3, 4
Hold 2, 3, 4,
Exhale 4, 3, 2, 1
Hold, 2, 3, 4
Inhale, 2, 3, 4
Hold 2, 3, 4
Exhale 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Hold 2, 3, 4
Inhale, 2, 3, 4
Hold 2, 3, 4,
Exhale 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Hold, 2, 3, 4
Inhale, 2, 3, 4
Hold 2, 3, 4
Exhale 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Hold 2, 3, 4
Return to your normal breathing.
May this moment of tranquility remind you of the power of nature to bring us back to ourselves. Take this calm with you as you face the world anew.
