“To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring – these are some of the rewards of the simple life.”
– john Burroughs
A few years ago, my dad took me and my children to the Florida Keys. My son was 11 and my daughter was 8 at the time. We went parasailing while in Key West. The thought of going up 300 feet above the ocean terrified me. What if I fell and then sharks ate me? My son was all for it! I didn’t want him going alone, so I went with him.
Way up in the air, to my surprise, I wasn’t scared. It was quiet and extraordinary. The wind blowing across the surface of the water and the sun glistening on the ocean took my breath away. Oh the silence up there – just my son and I hanging out. I didn’t even mind looking down and dangling my feet!
Seeing the world from this vantage point, I was moved by the beauty of the sandy beaches, people walking on the shore, sailboats, and the palm trees swaying in the breeze.
When we got back down into the boat, I saw things differently.
Such an experience of beauty opened me to see the beauty and delight here on land – the perfect blue sky, the warm sun on my face, and the wind against my skin. I still have this image captured in my mind and heart: my daughter sitting next to my dad in the boat as the driver took us home – her hair blowing in the wind, the huge smile on her face, my dad’s arm around her, and his full smile. I remember looking over at my son and he had a look on his face like he was born for adventures like this.
I know that a lot of us are worn out and weary. Many of us are burnt out. Maybe you work long hours. Things might feel out of control with a loved one or at work. You might know you need more time to focus on yourself, but it feels hard to get it. Maybe you feel stuck – in your job, in a relationship, or a circumstance.
This trip to Key West, though several years ago, still reminds me of what helps us and nourishes us when we feel burnt out and “done.” Let me share…
Five Things that Heal and Bring Hope to a Weary Soul:
1. Get sunshine. Walk outside every morning – even in your pajamas and slippers. Get that sunlight, baby!
2. Get out of dodge. Go to a new (preferably warm!) environment, even just for a weekend. Can’t get away? Go to a new coffee shop or bakery. Take a new yoga class. Do your morning run down new streets.
3. Change up your view. Maybe you don’t have to go up 300 feet in the air, but you could change up your vantage point. Do a forward bend and look around you. Get down to the level of your dog or cat and see what they see. Get your camera (or phone!) out and take pictures from a higher or lower level.
4. Palm trees heal. Just watching them sway in the wind and listening to them gently rustle is so good for the soul. Can’t get away to a place that has palm trees? Even just looking at a picture of them nourishes your nervous system!
Here, enjoy these palm tree pictures from my trip to Mexico this past February (for my 50th! More on that another time!)
(Did you exhale and did your shoulders relax a bit?!)
Last, but not least:
5. Look for micro delight. Right here in your everyday life, look around and find something – anything – that delights your heart: purple crocuses blooming, your favorite decorative pillows on your couch, sipping your morning smoothie through a straw, hearing the frogs out back in the evening, smelling spring rain, the touch of your favorite sweatshirt against your skin.
Savor it – for 10-20 seconds. Open your senses. Notice what shifts.
The Power of Micro
This past weekend, I was in Florida as the special guest speaker for two events. I was talking about leading a life you deeply love (no shocker there!). I talked about the power of micro – taking micro soul risks, making micro shifts. Sometimes, we need a mega shift – I get that. But every mega shift begins with a micro shift – a micro choice to change things up.
Micro feels doable to our nervous systems. Taking a micro action builds up agency within us – that “I can” mindset – and gives us little “wins” which our nervous systems love.
Soon enough, having taken several micro soul risks and micro actions, we find that our mood shifts, our mindset isn’t so stuck and heavy, and we discover that hope and contentment do in fact exist within us – and around us.
Here are some soulful supports for your weary soul in early spring (or any time!):
Delightful podcast episodes (Apple, Spotify, Amazon):
70. This Isn’t Selfish – It’s Holy
58. How You Start Your Day Matters – Guided Meditation “Good Morning, I Love You”
56. Life Fuel – Tapping into Energy Units fro a Life of Balance and Purpose
51. The Goddess Rinse – Guided Embodiment Meditation
48. Choosing What Makes You Feel Alive
46. Awakening to Blossom – A Springtime Guided Meditation
The Tenacity of Hope
And finally, I’d love to leave you with a poem on hope, because early spring always reminds us that hope is still here and she is tenacious!
The Tenacity of Hope
Hope is scrappy. It’s tenacious.
Far from wimpy,
hope pushes boulders through pinholes.
Despair can think it has crushed hope
under its weighty foot, but hope always rises.
Like a stubborn weed that keeps coming back –
it will fight through concrete, steel, sorrow,
and depression to reach you.
Hope will arrive, ready to nudge you, gently shake you,
or get right in front of you and show you that
there’s more.
More light.
More love.
More awe.
More goodness.
More possibility.
Hope will not leave your side.
It will keep trying to get your attention –
softly or fiercely –
until, one day,
in one seemingly random moment,
you feel that holy “more”
blossoming within you.
Lisa McCrohan © 2023
Blessings,
