Practicing Patience

June 15, 2018 by Alannah Paren in Lifestyle, Inspiration

In today’s world it is easy to find ourselves constantly anxiety-ridden thanks to the lack of patience that our instantly gratifying technologies have trained us to have. When we feel ourselves in impatient states, we are acting as our mind and body’s worst enemy – subjecting our heart rate to a state of uneasiness and releasing stress hormones that leave unnecessary negative affects on other body systems. So what’s the remedy? Learning to take a deep breath and own up to the fact that we cannot speed up time or predict the future. We must take a look at what we have in the here and now, toss wild “what ifs” out of our minds, and recognize that at the end of the day, getting irritated over situations that deal with the difference of a few seconds or minutes aren’t worth our energy.

The first step in practicing more patience is to put ourselves in check and realize that we do not have the power to control circumstantial things like time ticking by or how other people will play their roles in the given situation. Like I’ve mentioned before, perspective plays a vital role in how we train our mind and body to react, thus we must focus our thoughts on what each moment is providing us with rather than what it is costing us. Eventually, we might find that we naturally are able to keep stress levels low since we have an overall calmness that we have become acclimated to. One way to begin this exercise is to take a deep breath whenever we feel ourselves itching to fast-forward time, followed by reminding ourselves that the current moment offers a great opportunity to reflect on what we do have and how we have positively evolved throughout past moments to get to this present moment. Next time you are at a red light feeling restless and burning for the minuscule amount of time that you are stuck in that spot to be even shorter, try to ease your mind and realize that in the scheme of life, working yourself up over minor seconds is not worth the gratitude that the stress will strip you of. Be grateful for all of life’s little moments, even if it is just a couple of seconds.

On a more long term scale, when we find ourselves trying to unravel the mysteries of future circumstances, it is important to take a step back and appreciate the potential of the immediate instants that we are only wasting if we set our sights completely on occurrences that we do not have total control over. In surrendering ourselves to a higher power and acknowledging that “everything that is meant to be, will be,” we free up our worries and allow our energy to filter towards maximizing the present moment. Looking back on our pasts, many occurrences were probably somewhat dependent on factors outside of ourselves; thus, if we allow ourselves to completely melt into what we know and have for sure, we lift an incredible weight and pressure off of our hearts and souls. In the long run, this will keep us healthy, youthful, radiant, and help us to extend our futures, so as to be able to live longer, happier lives.

Harness the fresh, transformative energy of this recent Gemini new moon to learn something new about yourself and check into your thought patterns! Every day is an opportunity to make a positive change and be happy! Here’s to a sensational weekend everyone!

Ways to De-Stress and Slow Down

December 08, 2017 by Alannah Paren in Lifestyle, Inspiration

For me this week has been full of studying, (which I am sure anyone else who is a student can relate to, as finals are soon approaching!) and my abilities to manage stress have definitely been under the test! In an effort to help minimize stress and still enjoy this “crunch time,” I’ve compiled a list of my top three favorite ways to take a breather and regain perspective! (They are even great when you aren’t stressed!)

Three years ago, I was fortunate enough to travel to Costa Rica, and one of the biggest things I took away from that trip was the beauty of the Costa Rican people’s mastery of not stressing. Everything there seemed to work at a slower pace – a pace that allowed for a greater appreciation of the life and scenery surrounding them. They seemed to go through their daily lives with what I perceived to almost be an immense trust in superior guidance, which alleviated stress since they were able to accept that most things in life are out of their control. I hope that these following acts can help to ground you at any moment in your life and relieve some of the stress that can often bog us down.

Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica // January 2015

1. Watch the Sunset!! – This is my absolute favorite way to detach myself from the overwhelming feelings of life and be reminded of the unfathomable beauty on this planet. Within the past few months, I had a revelation of how rarely people take the time to appreciate the sunset. Most of us simply just take it for granted, even though every day we have the opportunity to immerse ourselves into a free opportunity to see one of the most awing processes. Its something literally anyone, anywhere (although not at the same time!) can relate to, and every evening the sunset is different, so this practice never gets old!! It’s a great occasion to mull over internal thoughts, ponder life questions, or spend time with someone you love and enjoy the energy of life together!

2. Read Poetry!! – Poems are a great way to reinvigorate your sense of belonging on this Earth. My two favorite poetry books are “The Essential Rumi” and Hafiz’s collection, “The Gift.” Every time I read a work out of either of these two books, I remember that these are the words of people long before my time, yet they still resonate with me. And because of that, I realize I am not alone in my feelings and life explorations. Give yourself a ten-minute mental break to find a quote or poem, and then really absorb what it is saying. You might be surprised to find how refreshing it can be to hear your feelings put into words by someone else, reminding you of your individual importance and also your validity in this universe as a whole.

3. Grab a Hot Drink (with or without friends) – It might sound silly, something as simple as “grabbing a hot drink” as a way to help solve the stressors of life, but it can actually do the trick! Regardless if I am alone or with someone, the act of taking time to sip on something can be a great reminder of slowing down your pace and taking a step back from frantic energy. Whenever I am enjoying a tea or coffee, I push myself to not check my phone and completely soak in the present moment, savoring the flavors of the drink and taking my time to thoroughly enjoy it. I think often times we feel we can’t afford even the smallest of breaks, but I tend to find that the time we consider we would be wasting on things, even though they have the potential to actually benefit us, ends up getting wasted anyways as we aimlessly spend time on our phones. I think it is healthy to schedule blocks of time where you know you are going to dedicate yourself to something meaningful, because after, you feel so much more revitalized and can actually focus better when you return to your work.

These three things are small, but can have a big positive effect! And even if these don’t strike you as things you are interested in, there are plenty of other great de-stressors out there! The important thing is that you compile your own list of things that you can turn to when you need a little relief in your life. Remember to stay positive, and as my mom always reminds me for those things that are extra anxiety inducing, “This too shall pass.”

Being Pleased with the Present Moment

July 31, 2017 by Alannah Paren in Inspiration

In today’s world it is so easy to get distracted by technology or lose sight of what is important. Sometimes it seems as if the likes on social media are more valuable than the personal interactions right in front of us. I recently read a quote that said:

“Nothing in this world is permanent, and we’re foolish when we ask anything to last, but surely we are more foolish not to take delight in it while we have it.”

This quote really struck me when I first read it, but a week later, when I faced the end of a serious relationship I had been in, the words resonated with me on an even deeper level.

As always, I like to share the lessons and ideas that are currently inspiring me in my own life, because I know we are all human, we all experience the same feelings and emotions, and we can all often benefit from similar advice. I am taking this article back to the root concept of why I started this blog in the first place: gratitude. The idea is that we have so much to be thankful for right in front of us, and the more we show appreciation towards what we have, the more positivity we allow to flood into our lives. With the growing popularity of social media, our society has shifted to a more competitive and materialistic environment. It becomes easier for us to see all the possibilities that the world has to offer, it becomes easier to get lost in the idea of “what ifs,” and it gets easier for us to feel less abundant in our own lives. However, all of us have the power within to manifest a deeper energy and to center our focus on what we do have.

For example, I feel fortunate for my travels to Europe that I wrote about in my last post; I know that not everyone has the opportunity to travel and may never see the places I was so blessed to have seen. But situations are all relative, and someone who may see my travel photos and feel bitter towards me, should keep in mind that if they are viewing my photos, they must have some sort of technological device, and not everyone in this world has access to the daily luxuries that most of us take for granted. Yes there might always be someone who appears to be “luckier,” but there will also always be someone who is worse off than we assume we are. Everyone’s struggles are relative to their life situation and the things that they value.

This is why we can all find contentment in our lives, because we all have the strength and ability to shift our mindset and realize that we have things that deserve more appreciation than we often grant them. If we start by focusing on small things and reminding ourselves to acknowledge (either mentally or vocally), what we cherish, we will find that slowly our brain will begin to pick out the positives without us even consciously doing so. Eventually we can all get to a point where we are left with feelings of mostly happiness, since all the tiny things that we appreciate add up to an overwhelming feeling of gratification. Also, as we find ourselves enamored with all the good in the world, we positively charge our own personal energy that exudes onto others. This leads to a cycle of inspiration as those around us start to become more positive, even if it is just a smile in response to being surrounded by your optimistic energy.

It takes more energy to dwell on what we wish we had, than it does to feel thankful for what we do have. Plus, all that time and energy we spend focusing on negativity goes to waste, as we then have lost precious opportunities to have turned those moments of disappointment into moments of good memories. It is important to not get distracted in the multiple potential outcomes of a situation, but to actually live in the moment to the fullest. Some of the biggest regrets can be avoided by simply returning yourself to center and finding what there is to enjoy in the present.

If you seek for what you do not have, one day you might look back and realize that in that same moment that you were longing for more, you were ignoring so much you could have appreciated in that moment. Do not wait until you have lost those things and it is too late to go back. So as you move forward from this moment, remember to take any opportunities to voice your appreciation, find at least one aspect of each day to be thankful for, unplug from the diversions of technology, and detach yourself from preoccupied thoughts. With each passing day you shall find that there is more and more in this universe to be grateful for.