Life Adventure Update

April 2024

Happy Spring!!

I hope Life’s Adventure has been filled with growth and wonder for you all~

It has been a while since I have ventured into the Shire… but alas, Bonsai is back!! My Life’s Adventure has been… adventuring, to say the least. There have been challenges, both large and hobbit-sized. However, when circumstances seem steal my peace, I reflect on the facets of life that I am grateful for. How about you try it with me?

Gratitude Practice

1. What thought is holding your peace captive?

   1. Is it something within your power to change RIGHT NOW?

   2. Is it something outside of your control?

   3. Is it something that requires patience to work itself out?

   4. Assign that thought a place in your mind where it can rest for the remainder of this practice. Imagine placing it in a box or on a shelf. (We are not ignoring the thought; we are choosing and pursuing peace for this moment.)

2. Take a moment and ground yourself.

   1. Where are you?

   2. What do you hear?

   3. Are there any smells?

   4. What can you feel?

   5. What do your eyes see?

3. Focus on the tastes, smells, textures, and sights around you. Do any in particular stick out to you? Do any of these observations bring you joy or pique your inquisitive mind? The hum of the air conditioner, the chatter of workmates, the smell of your perfume, the feel of the chair supporting you… Let this moment be all there is.

4. Now, list seven (7) things you are grateful for. There is nothing too big or small. Gratitude of all magnitudes permeates the most tense environments.

What are you grateful for?

7 Things I am Grateful For:

1. Family members who love me without conditions

2. Employment that meets my financial needs

3. My personal relationship with my higher power

4. Books that show me amazing fantasy worlds

5. Friends who have taught me what love is

6. Lessons that have taught me what love is not

7. Snickerdoodle Cookies <3

“It's a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.”

― Germany Kent

How do these things make you feel? Where is that box? Is it as scary and daunting as before you set it aside? Hopefully not compared to the mighty beacons of gratitude we have front and center. Let the pure light of gratitude shine through the muddled haze of confusion and stress.

However, if your thought still has the fierceness of the Uruk-Hai take courage, my friend. There is peace yet ahead.

Hi Self-Talk. Meet Compassion.

Let’s revisit those questions we asked ourselves earlier…

• What thought is holding your peace captive?

  • Is it something within your power to change right now?

  • Is it something outside of your control?

  • Is it something that requires patience to work itself out?

Often times we are wired from a young age to solve problems quickly. To find solutions efficiently. To always have an answer when prompted. I’ve learned through my Life Adventure that such hypervigilance is an exhausting way to live at best… and soul-corrupting at worst. Neither outcome is my desire for myself nor any member of our Fellowship. So, let’s talk compassion!

If the cave trolls and goblin warriors of life are still weighing on your mind, then give yourself space to feel. Negative emotions and feelings in response to our external circumstances are normal, reasonable reactions. The key is not to let those external circumstances permeate our internal peace. Make space for your feelings. They are valid. However, beware the dangers of making too much space and letting the darkness linger for too long. Need we revisit what happened to our former riverfolk friend Smeagol?

Show yourself compassion. We fall. We make mistakes. We get stuck sometimes. But each of us has the power within ourselves to stand up again. Through grounding, gratitude, and guidance from your Fellowship (be it a book, buddy, or a beloved) we can create a environment of inner peace that motivates us along our Life Adventure.

“Nothing external to you has any power over you.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

More Compassion Resources!

Check out how to incorporate compassion in:

• Relationships

• Healthcare

• Entrepreneurship

Here's to growth, wisdom, and the journey ahead.

Warm regards, Jae