Exercise 3: BE Here Now

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Welcome to Exercise 3 of this year’s blog series: BE Here Now.

BE HERE NOW is a book by Ram Dass that discusses learning to be in the present moment.

Being present means that instead of being focused on what happened yesterday or what could happen tomorrow, you are simply here, now. It’s about getting off autopilot and becoming aware of the automatic actions and reactions you are used to, and finding a place of clarity and calm. The present moment offers peace.

Many times through out a day, we can find ourselves snagged in an unpleasant emotion.  Many of which are caused by our mind going into “the land of stories” whether they be from a past event or a future wondering.  Sometimes these stories seem like the present, yet still cause us to dwell in a negative emotion or mood.

Getting up in the morning and having dread about going to work can be an example.   Yes, it is true that you may feel dread, yet what and where is your mind wandering to?  What stories are being spun in your mind that are bringing about the dread?

While those are great questions, the exercise for the next couple weeks is to notice when you are caught in an unpleasant emotion and become present by practicing these two techniques:

  1. Stop and take three slow, deep breaths. You can do this with your eyes open or closed. Concentrate on feeling the air of your breath as it goes in and out your body. Bring your attention solely to your breath.   OR
  2. Stop and look around, wherever you are, and start naming the objects you see.  I see a chair, a dish, a spoon, a tree, etc.  Bring your attention to naming all the things you see in your line of vision.

Take note of what happens to the emotional snag as you do this.  Notice if the feeling diminishes and, even if for a moment, you feel calm and peace.

Cheering You On to a Whole Be Present Heart,
Barbara

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Exercise 2: BE Real

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A phrase used quite often is “Be Real.”

Sometimes it is said as…

Be Authentic.

Be Your Truth.

What does all that mean?

Does it mean anything goes with how you think and behave?

Does it mean sharing all your feelings, thoughts, problems with others?

We have minds that can be quite imaginative and assumptive. How does one know what is real?

Do you know YOUR truth so you can BE it?

Explore what this mean to you, and discover more of YOUR truth by journaling and contemplating these questions:

  1. What do these statements mean to you; are they the same? (Feel free to get out a dictionary/thesaurus and read definitions and related words.)
  • Be Real.
  • Be Authentic.
  • Be Your Truth.
  2. How do you know when you are being REAL/AUTHENTIC/YOUR TRUTH?  What are you doing?  How are you feeling?
  3. What keeps you from being REAL/AUTHENTIC/YOUR TRUTH?
  4. What activities have helped you discover more about who you are, your realness, your truth, your authenticity?
  5. Are there any areas of your life or roles that you have where you find it hard to be your real/authentic/truthful self?  What makes it hard?
  6. Have you ever discovered YOUR TRUTH changed? If so, where and what happened to make that change?
  7. What do you think you could do in the next couple weeks to BE more REAL/AUTHENTIC/YOUR TRUTH?

Feel free to share some thoughts from one of the questions in the comments.

Cheering You On to a Whole REAL Heart,

Barbara

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This year’s Blog Series:

This year I’ll be posting 25 “BE” journaling and BEing exercises. 

You’ll be challenged to

  • journal,
  • try activities that bring you into the present,
  • contemplate and think differently,
  • grow personally, 
  • increase understanding of who you are,
  • and try different ways of BEING.

Obviously, a journal is strongly encouraged.  When doing the journaling, don’t be too quick to go with your first response.  Keep writing about the questions given.  Set a timer for 1-2 minutes for each question.  The longer you write and contemplate on the questions asked, the more you will gain from the exercise. Think of it as going deeper into your self, into your heart, into your wisdom.

There are no right or wrong answers.   Your journaling may wonder off the questions, that is okay.  You may get humorous or way too serious. Write about the feelings that come up as you answer the questions.  Just write.  

Exercise 1: Just BE…

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Welcome to the 2019 Blog Series, JUST BE…

This year I’ll be posting 25 “BE” journaling and BEing exercises. 

You’ll be challenged to

  • journal,
  • try activities that bring you into the present,
  • contemplate and think differently,
  • grow personally, 
  • increase understanding of who you are,
  • and try different ways of BEING.

Obviously, a journal is strongly encouraged.  When doing the journaling, don’t be too quick to go with your first response.  Keep writing about the questions given.  Set a timer for 1-2 minutes for each question.  The longer you write and contemplate on the questions asked, the more you will gain from the exercise. Think of it as going deeper into your self, into your heart, into your wisdom.

There are no right or wrong answers.   Your journaling may wonder off the questions, that is okay.  You may get humorous or way too serious. Write about the feelings that come up as you answer the questions.  Just write.  

Exercise 1

I have BE sitting on a window sill in my home (picture above). 

My sweet son-in-law asked me,  “Why?”   

“It is a reminder to BE,” I said.

His response, “Oh.”   Not said with much understanding or even a question.   It was like a blank stare.   

I totally get it, as it takes time to understand what it is to BE.

JOURNAL Questions:

  1. What does BE mean?  (Feel free to pull up the dictionary and define it)
  2. What does BE mean to you?
  3. What does someone look like that is JUST BEing?  
  4. If you JUST BE’d, what would you be doing, feeling, thinking?
  5. How would you answer the age-old question, “To BE or not to BE?”
  6. What do you do to just BE?
  7. What could you do in the next couple weeks to just BE?

Review what you wrote and star anything that stands out to you about what you wrote.

Feel free to share your answers to 6 or 7 with others in the comments.

Cheering You on to a Whole BEing Heart,
Barbara

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2018 Week 50: Guiding Star

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Week 50’s task of 50 Weeks to a Lighter More Loving You is GUIDING STAR.

This week we are going to find ONE WORD that will be your GUIDING STAR for the upcoming year.

As humans, we can’t resist the impulse to fill our lives with something. So in lieu of real purpose, we often settle for preoccupation. But purpose requires that we, in turn, are purposeful. As long as we’re preoccupied, distracted, or half-hearted, we’ll have trouble recognizing, understanding, and pursuing our true purpose in life.

We will be face with hundreds of choices everyday.  Getting clear on where you want to go, what kind of life you want to create, who you want to be, and how you want to inspire others helps significantly when you are faced with all those daily choices. 

At the beginning of every year I take time to work through a group of exercises and then end it all with finding a GUIDING STAR….or ONE WORD…my WORD FOR THE YEAR, that will be an easy reminder of what it is I am being purposeful about for the year.   

It helps guide decisions.  

It helps keep me on track.

It brings to mind my goals or intentions for the year.

It brings more meaning to my days and ultimately my year.

Here are the exercises:

  1. Review your TOP 5 IDEALS.
  2. Print off the LIFE WHEEL and in each section write one or two things in each section that you’d like to do this coming year to improve that area of life.  If you are totally happy with a particular area of your life, leave it blank or write what you’d like to continue doing.
  3. Make a List of 10 things you’d like to do this year.  Some of them may be the same as on a wheel area or it might be a more specific thing related to what you wrote in your wheel.
  4. Print off the WORD FOR THE YEAR WORKSHEETS and complete them.

This will take time to do.  The process helps you get focused and contemplating what in your life you’d like to do, work towards, or accomplish in the new year.  

By the time you get to the WORD OF THE YEAR, you will have focus and clarity. 

YOUR GUIDING STAR (WORD FOR THE YEAR) may jump right off the page! 

Once you have it, post it somewhere in your home where you see it everyday.  Use it as a meditation mantra. Tell someone your word. Write it down, take a picture of it, and use it as wallpaper on your phone or computer.  Just make sure you see it everyday.

This is the final task of 50 Weeks to a Lighter More Loving You…and it is a big one!

There isn’t much that makes us feel lighter and more loving then direction and purpose.

I hope you enjoyed this series. (You can find all the tasks under YEAR OF LOVE.)

Feel free to post your GUIDING STAR (WORD FOR THE YEAR) in the comments.

Cheering You on to a Whole Lighter More Loving You Heart,

Barbara

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