Busy or Bored

Lately its hard to relax. My plate is full with many stimulating activities that are lovely, awful, challenging and deeply educational. There is no doubt I am growing in capabilities. A year ago I decided to live my passion of volunteering for environmental issues full time for one year. My goodness little did I know that I volunteered in THE YEAR OF GREEN. So this has become an issue of self examination for me as I don't' care to be trendy. A fellow student of Voluntary Simplicity gave me a wonderful article about this : there is a huge mass of twenty to forty year olds who are called "YAWNS" Young Adults Wealthy but Normal. All kidding aside on the name. People like me who live within their means, try not to shop, buy used, recycle, live low impact lives and really care about the world and all that lives in it.
As Green became the new Black I had to ask myself the question why am I doing this? The answer is because I want my kids and people in the world to have a better world now and in the future. Not a better world of more stuff but a clean and safe world As a young child when I read the Bible and I read it often, the message I got was if you are a Christian this is part of the deal, you take care of the less fortunate, period.
Spending this year volunteering has made me mad, ecstatically happy, frustrated and joyful. I tend to make one year commitments and then take some time to reflect and step back. Next week "Hot Springs Earth Day and the Green Inattentive" will be launched. Right now I just pray people show up and have a great time and they get excited about learning to live low impact.
This summer you will find me reflecting and finding "presence" in a space called "now" and maybe thinking about the year ahead.

Blessings,
Courtney

Tips

1. Stop, close your eyes and take a deep breath and exhale completely. Sit in silence a moment and feel the inside of you being, its a vibration that you can feel. Then bring your awareness to the suttle noises outside as you feel your body on the inside. Focus on the sensation of who you are inside.
2. When you find yourself bored find a creative outlet to express yourself, it is a big release. Often I find myself bored because I can't relax long enough to enjoy anything without my mind jumping all around. Being creative or taking a walk usually helps me let out the anxiety.
3. Go to bed and get plenty of sleep,life is just better when you are rested.