So I made a resolution on 1/11/11 to practice Yan Xin Qigong (a sitting meditation and life practice) every day for the rest of the year.
And ten days ago, I reported that I'd missed a few days, but was persisting on . . .
In that post I said that the most important thing about a life change was to keep trying--and I am. I am happy to say that I've practiced every day for the last three days, and I'm feeling good.
Here's a few things I notice about what happens when I practice more:
-I am more: energetic, focused, and productive
-I write more: In my blog, in my journal, in my head ;-)
-I am less tired
-My mind doesn't linger on negative things as much
-I feel better about who I am
-I find more pleasure in simple tasks
-I am less hungry and lose weight more easily
So of course, all these things are so great and motivate me to continue on with my resolution. In 12 more days I will have reached my goal of one month of practice--not with every day intact, but with my intention and resolve intact. I am finding that this is the most critical thing.
Someone said once that the path to enlightenment is like swimming against a current. You just have to persist. It is going to be difficult and when you stop swimming you will float backwards and maybe lose some ground. But the muscles you built will never be lost, which means you will be continually more successful in your quest up the stream.
And so I persist.
Expecting our Little Brother in November!
Showing posts with label Resolution. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Resolution. Show all posts
Monday, January 31, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Resolution Day 7 Update (on Day 10)
So on 1/11/11, I made a resolution to practice Yan Xin Qigong every day for the rest of the year and I'm here to update on my progress.
Weeelllll, I've missed some days. Like day 4, 6, 8 and 9 . . . But I did practice this morning.
And in my experience with trying to start a new habit or make any change to your life, is that you will miss and mess up some days. The most important thing is not to get bogged down by the days you forget, but just forge ahead and just continue to try to do your best every day.
This is how I succeeded (and have continued to succeed) in keeping a journal. When I was in middle school, I tried many times to keep a journal, but I would forget to write, then get mad at myself and "give up." The turning point with this whole journal-keeping business is when I decided that the days I DIDN'T write didn't matter, only the days I DID write mattered. And I decided that I would keep this notebook and write in it when I wanted to write, even if it had been months since the last time, and that I wouldn't "give up" or get discouraged no matter how long it had been since I wrote. And it worked, and I filled that notebook right up and I've been writing ever since--sometimes with long breaks (like my first two years of college were a big ole blank)--but it doesn't matter.
The conclusion is that with any life change (diet, exercise, any new habit that you are trying to form or any old habit that you are trying to break), the biggest thing is not to give up, but to keep trying. So that's my update for today. Forge ahead in 2011.
Weeelllll, I've missed some days. Like day 4, 6, 8 and 9 . . . But I did practice this morning.
And in my experience with trying to start a new habit or make any change to your life, is that you will miss and mess up some days. The most important thing is not to get bogged down by the days you forget, but just forge ahead and just continue to try to do your best every day.
This is how I succeeded (and have continued to succeed) in keeping a journal. When I was in middle school, I tried many times to keep a journal, but I would forget to write, then get mad at myself and "give up." The turning point with this whole journal-keeping business is when I decided that the days I DIDN'T write didn't matter, only the days I DID write mattered. And I decided that I would keep this notebook and write in it when I wanted to write, even if it had been months since the last time, and that I wouldn't "give up" or get discouraged no matter how long it had been since I wrote. And it worked, and I filled that notebook right up and I've been writing ever since--sometimes with long breaks (like my first two years of college were a big ole blank)--but it doesn't matter.
The conclusion is that with any life change (diet, exercise, any new habit that you are trying to form or any old habit that you are trying to break), the biggest thing is not to give up, but to keep trying. So that's my update for today. Forge ahead in 2011.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Resolution Day 3 Update
As I discussed here, my resolution this year is to practice Yan Xin Qigong every day for the rest of 2011.
My first goal to meet was three days and this is the third day.
So far? I'm feeling good!
What I notice the most is that I've had more energy. I stayed up until 1 and 2 o'clock the last two nights. I thought that I would feel tired the next day but I didn't really . . . furthermore, I've been able to be pretty productive in these late nights with writing and working on my blog, so that's an additional benefit.
I also notice that I'm feeling a little more emotionally/psychologically stable. I am someone with a history of depression, and pregnancy was like this golden land for me where I didn't need to manage my state of mind--my emotions and hormones were so level, it was great. But I knew that after I had James, eventually I would return to being the slightly-a-wreck person that I have always been, and the last week or so I really felt like I was slipping out of the smooth seas of my pregnant emotional state, and I knew something needed to be done. Hence the resolution. So, it seems to be benefiting me in this area as well!
I also feel confident. In the past when I've made promises to myself like this it has felt SO HARD to do it, and even as I made the promise I doubted it. But this time it is different, and I'm really appreciating that.
My next goal was one week, so I will update again when I hit that next milestone!
My first goal to meet was three days and this is the third day.
So far? I'm feeling good!
What I notice the most is that I've had more energy. I stayed up until 1 and 2 o'clock the last two nights. I thought that I would feel tired the next day but I didn't really . . . furthermore, I've been able to be pretty productive in these late nights with writing and working on my blog, so that's an additional benefit.
I also notice that I'm feeling a little more emotionally/psychologically stable. I am someone with a history of depression, and pregnancy was like this golden land for me where I didn't need to manage my state of mind--my emotions and hormones were so level, it was great. But I knew that after I had James, eventually I would return to being the slightly-a-wreck person that I have always been, and the last week or so I really felt like I was slipping out of the smooth seas of my pregnant emotional state, and I knew something needed to be done. Hence the resolution. So, it seems to be benefiting me in this area as well!
I also feel confident. In the past when I've made promises to myself like this it has felt SO HARD to do it, and even as I made the promise I doubted it. But this time it is different, and I'm really appreciating that.
My next goal was one week, so I will update again when I hit that next milestone!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
1/11/11 1:11:11 Resolution
So Yan Xin Qigong (the meditation/life practice that I study) has been on an official hiatus--my understanding is that they are reorganizing, which is probably a good thing, but we haven't had official chapter meetings or regional events in nearly a year.
I've observed that people who have continued with daily practice and study (writing reflective papers and making life or mind changes as a result) have done fine, and even gotten great benefit over the last year. My little family has certainly benefited and many of our friends as well.
But personally I have trouble practicing every day. I am good at writing papers and reflecting (but I should do more), and I try to practice de (virtue) in my daily life, and I think I do okay at that too. But I rarely practice on my own.
When we were having weekly and biweekly meetings, I would practice at least once or twice a week, but now it's been almost a year since I had that support. James practices daily, and so he is our rock in terms of maintaining a basic level of practice in our home.
However, I think I realized today that our house, our families, our bodies (health), and minds (health) are not as strong as they have been and can be, and now there is a third person here to support.
The conclusion? I need to start doing my part. I need to start practicing every day.
So this is my resolution. For the rest of 2011, I will practice every day. This will be an experiment--what can one year of Yan Xin Qigong inspire in a person's life? How will my life and the lives of my family and friends change?
My first goal will be three days, then one week, then one month, then three months, then six months, and then a year. I will try to update about how I am doing and what is changing. It is like breastfeeding--every day, as much as I can do it, as long as I can do it for, it will benefit my family. I can breastfeed, so I can do this, too.
This is my resolution.
I've observed that people who have continued with daily practice and study (writing reflective papers and making life or mind changes as a result) have done fine, and even gotten great benefit over the last year. My little family has certainly benefited and many of our friends as well.
But personally I have trouble practicing every day. I am good at writing papers and reflecting (but I should do more), and I try to practice de (virtue) in my daily life, and I think I do okay at that too. But I rarely practice on my own.
When we were having weekly and biweekly meetings, I would practice at least once or twice a week, but now it's been almost a year since I had that support. James practices daily, and so he is our rock in terms of maintaining a basic level of practice in our home.
However, I think I realized today that our house, our families, our bodies (health), and minds (health) are not as strong as they have been and can be, and now there is a third person here to support.
The conclusion? I need to start doing my part. I need to start practicing every day.
So this is my resolution. For the rest of 2011, I will practice every day. This will be an experiment--what can one year of Yan Xin Qigong inspire in a person's life? How will my life and the lives of my family and friends change?
My first goal will be three days, then one week, then one month, then three months, then six months, and then a year. I will try to update about how I am doing and what is changing. It is like breastfeeding--every day, as much as I can do it, as long as I can do it for, it will benefit my family. I can breastfeed, so I can do this, too.
This is my resolution.
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