Are you living your life, like the Day of the Dead? Throughout many regions of the world, many people celebrate the holidays of Halloween (October 31) and the Day of the Dead/All Souls Day/All Saints’ Day (October 31 through November 2). Within many cultures and Christian denominations globally, people take time to remember family members, loved ones, and friends by celebrating the deceased with their favorite food, drink, hosting parties, events, wearing costumes, praying, and taking flowers and gifts to the gravesites. I am not writing an article to bash anyone who may partake or celebrate these days of celebration. It is only to serve as sharing a thought of consideration with our everyday health and rest.
Throughout my professional life (mental health, education, and financial) and personal, I have received the opportunity to be invited in and interact with people, observe, and provide guidance on some private areas of their lives. It is a gift. As I reflect now as a Holistic Health & Wellness coach and speaker, I was openly and intentionally set up by the Divine One within my assignment in life. It just served many roles. I am grateful for the people/families,/communities I can continuously assist. It is a delicate task and a special honor to do so.
I have watched people go all out with costumes on these holidays and have been amazed to see how they transform. They look great! But, I also realized that some people are still in character form with removing makeup and costumes. Some are even maneuvering throughout life in a mummified or skeletonized way. Their physical bodies may be present out of habit, but their minds and spirit checked out. It may be for a minute, moment, weeks, months, and sometimes beyond a year.
Why do we wait till relationships, jobs, health plummets before deciding to create space in our lives? Learning how to create space is the first week of focus in our Breakthrough program that we get to delve in deep to become aware and make changes in 12 different areas of our livelihood. I want to thank Pastor Rick Warren for highlighting this.
Throughout scriptures, it is repeated numerous times regarding taking the time to rest to heal, re-energize, and rejuvenate. Jesus was indeed a master by showing how. On the sitcom “It’s A Different World,” Whitney used to say, “relax, release, relate” whenever she was stressed out. Have you created space in your life so you can heal daily, or are you masking your life to “fake it till you make it”? Masks are just coverups. The real you is still hidden behind the mask.
Creating space is so vitally important to experience the life of purpose you are to live. When you choose not to define the area intentionally, you can lose perspective of what is happening in your environment (home, work-life, community, world). Motor coordination decreases significantly (driving, standing, walking, talking, personal hygiene); healthy relationships begin to dwindle (family, social, work-life, faith); and health (spiritually, emotionally, mentally, financially, physically). More importantly, you begin to lose thought of your existence (identity, purpose, and direction in life). Your outlook on life grows dim, and you begin to fade away from being who you are uniquely qualified to be.
Take time to create space in your life to deal with the world’s pressures by taking your P.U.L.S.E (practicing unlimited love by self-evaluating). Here are 12 Steps to Stop Living Your Life Like the Day of the Dead:
- Stop, Look, and Listen to what you are experiencing internally and externally.
- Create space within your mind and body and listen to what the Divine One is whispering to you. Your body is not your own, and it came at a high price.
- Create space in your home that’s just for you to pray and meditate (if you have to share the area, schedule it out or place a sign on it when you need to check-in so everyone else can leave you alone by checking out).
- Rest (take 15-20 minutes naps daily) and sleep (8-9 hours daily).
- Schedule mental wellness into your schedule and share it with loved ones and the workplace.
- Exercise (walking, cardio, strength-training).
- Drink the required amount of WATER daily.
- Eat colorful and natural whole plant-based food daily without a bunch of fillers in it.
- Get outside and spend at least 15 minutes absorbing natural Vitamin D (sunlight)
- Express gratitude (verbally and journal it by writing, singing, painting, dancing)
- Socialize with like-minded people and those who have an eye of an eagle (faith-based, organizations, events).
- Serve others by using your skills, gifts, and talents.
You are so important that the Creator himself waited to the end to create you, bless you, showcase his creations as gifts to you, and declare you are to have complete dominion of all things on Earth. You’re not placed here to live life dressed up in a mummified or skeletonized form. Choose each day to live life as if you are truly living! Make healthy choices when experiencing life, reduce the stress that is not elevating you, and live to be the best version of who you are.
The Differentiator
(Re-post Nov.2019)
(Rev. July 21, 20201)
