What does it mean to be connected to ourselves?
This is a big question!
I believe the answer will be slightly different for each one of us and I would encourage you to consider this for yourself - maybe take 5 minutes to ponder this before reading on.
My Offerings/Thoughts!:
I believe it encompasses awareness to both our internal landscape and how this landscape is impacted when we interface with the world around us.
Our internal landscape includes:
Physical - how our body feels
Emotional - recognising various emotions and how we feel in our body in response to different emotions
How we think and what we believe
What is important to us, makes us feel alive, what we get passionate/energised about and feels meaningful.
Spiritual - our sense of something bigger than us, our world and how we connect to that dimension.
Our interface:
Our behaviours/actions and environments - both how we behave in response to our internal cues and how our behaviours/actions impact our internal landscape
What gives us enjoyment, joy, a sense of peace? What makes us feel sad, uneasy, drained?
How is my mood and mindset effected by being by the sea, with family, with my friends?
From having an awareness to the above, I believe we gain a strong sense of who we are; what we value in life, as most important to us. We might better picture our vision/hopes for ourselves and have a greater sense of how we best contribute/have meaning.
I don't believe it is feeling like we 'have it all figured out', as we are hopefully evolving as people; discovering more about ourselves as we go through novel experiences and expand our thinking.
Why?
Why have a strong sense of self?
When we understand what we are doing and what we are there to do, we find it easier to stay on track and not get too distracted.
When we are engaged with a focus, a point on which to place our attention, energy and efforts, we are less likely to get 'lost', spread ourselves thin; Within the workplace for example, we have a job description, since not being clear on our roles and responsibilities increases the likelihood of experiencing excess stress.
La 'Plan de Vide!' - Plan of Life
Studies of the blue 'zones' (areas where people experience greatest longevity, like Sardinia in Italy) show these people know their purpose and 'plan of life'. Highlighting the importance of connecting to our self, our sense of purpose. People in 'blue zones' are not just existing longer, but living; they experience improved psychological and physiological wellness.
Purpose is different from a goal – a goal is a tangible achievement we can tick off – we cannot do this with purpose – it is where our compass is set to - the direction we are striving for.
Above all, when we are doing 'what we are supposed to do' - aligning our inner landscape with our outer actions it brings about a positive energy; this might be felt as contentment, inner peace, excitement, the feeling of being alive, accomplishment, enthusiasm and hopefully all of the above!
I think this quote from John O Donoghue (poet, philosopher, author) below represents this all nicely!
And one of the loneliest things you can find is somebody who is in the wrong kind of work; who shouldn’t be doing what they are doing but should be doing something else, and haven’t the courage to get up and leave it and make a new possibility for themselves.
But it’s lovely when you find someone at work who’s doing exactly what they dreamed they should be doing and whose work is an expression of their inner gift. And in witnessing to that gift and bringing it out, they actually provide an incredible service to us all. And I think you see that the gifts that are given to us as individuals are not for us alone, or for our own self-improvement, but they’re actually for the community and to be offered.
The How:
So how do we ensure we give ourselves the permission, time and space to check in with ourselves without becoming self-indulgent and self-obsessed!? Like with everything, there’s a balance to be struck.
When we get connected to our sense of meaning/purpose; we see our contribution and service. The 'inner work' then becomes the nourishment to support us in 'fueling' our best work.
As the wise cabin crew instruct; Before helping others, you must first put your own oxygen mask on!
Again, this will likely look different for each of us.
The crux, I believe, is about protecting time and creating gaps for 'checking-in' with ourselves. Plus, have ways to process and affirm our thinking; Writing things down, using creative outputs, such as pictures as well as talking through our thinking can be helpful in this respect.
Interested in exploring how you can connect to your 'self? Get in touch with Catherine for a free 15 minute health coaching call - click here.
Comments