Hi, my #FloatyFriends!
It is September, which is #SelfCareAwarenessMonth. For me, it is more like Self Awareness Month. I have been reading, doing yoga, #meditating, praying, learning new things, working mindfully, and, of course, floating. All this work appears to be bringing me face to face with my inner thoughts, as beautiful, absurd, delightful, and disappointing as they can be.
I have spent the better part of the last 28 years trying to clean up my act regarding what happens in my brain. Primarily, this has been successful. I have learned to love myself, honor my gifts, laugh at my follies without judgment, or the vicious criticism of old and am a happy and serene individual 96% of the time.
You might ask, 'what does it matter what I think?' My answer comes in the way of a statement I heard a long time ago – "If you knew how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought." Our thoughts are powerful! Ponder this – every achievement you have ever accomplished started with an idea. Every poor decision you ever made began with a thought.
What we #focus on grows. Did you ever get a new car and suddenly notice every other vehicle of the same make and model as yours? Weren't they there before? Yes, but you didn't see them. What we think, positive or negative, helpful or unhelpful, tends to be where we put our focus and energy. If I think the world is an unsafe place, I will continuously find validation for this. Conversely, if I believe that humans are helpful and kind, I will find evidence for that.
In my opinion, it takes a #powerful person to squarely look at themselves and acknowledge that they aren't all sunshine and rainbows, yet not lose sight of their brilliance at the same time. I have found great #insight into my mind's inner workings over the years through therapy, journaling, twelve-step work, volunteering, service to others, meditating, conversations with, and feedback from friends and family. When we choose a path to the betterment of ourselves, whatever the way may look like, we are bound to find that we are the keepers of our happiness, and often the creators of our pain, based on our #thoughts, #beliefs, and #actions.
My challenge with mediating is that I have #ADHD and a severe case of #monkeymind. While I find meditation deeply satisfying and have had some fantastic experiences, it can still be challenging to sit still for long periods. Settling into the water of the float cabin, with no pressure points, no lights, no sounds, and nowhere to be for an hour has deepened my meditation practice in a way that is hard even to describe; suffice it to say, I have #leveledup or leveled in so to speak.
There are many reasons to float. Some people come for physical pain relief or muscle recovery; some come for clarity, peace, creativity, to reduce anxiety or just plain curiosity. I came to #flotationtherapy as a way to potentially reduce my constant joint and muscle pain. I found that and so much more.
While the world around me continues to pulse and convulse with beautiful and terrible things, life continues to happen, bringing with it the sorrows, joys, loss, and triumphs of being human. I have found a path to an #innerpeace that I did not even imagine existed. I do not promise, or even imply, that you will find this place in a float cabin, tank, or pod. I am suggesting that it wouldn't hurt to try.
Happy Floating.
Marie