Week 22 - Spending/Expending and law of polarity

It's only fair that I talk about spending since our previous challenge was that of saving. However I want to include the topic to that of expending so we can talk about both the use of our time and energy as well.

Our money, time and energy are not limitless because we are in form; or matter. Only things out of form can experience limitlessness. If you have only so much time, money and energy then it may be a good idea to use this challenge to create some awareness around how you are using all three.

But first let's talk about the universal law of polarity. The universal laws are also know and the laws of nature and these laws are always at work; whether you believe or even know about them. The ancient concept of yin/yang teaches us about this and the objective is to not teach so much about the opposites as it is to teach about finding the center, which is where harmony and balance exist. That does not mean we always have to stay in the middle but we should realize that one extreme will lead to another. If for example you spend too much money you will be broke or in debt. If you work too much you may feel tired or your relationships or health may suffer. If you waste your time you may find you have regrets.

The Challenge

This weeks challenge has three parts and you can do as many as you would like. Since your money, time, and energy are limited then take a moment to think about how you use each. If you use them wisely you may notice you will have less drama in your life; and less stress.

1) Money - Think about the money you have (not what's available on your credit card). How can you best use that money? If you have debt you are probably paying interest so your best bet may be to pay down the debt but I also believe it is wise to save a little. If you wait to save until you have 'extra' money you will never do it. Create a good habit of saving even if it's just the change in your pocket.

2) Time - Take a moment to consider that you only have so many days left. They are precious so don't waste them. Think about what it is you want to accomplish before your last day and begin to create a plan to make it happen.

3) Energy - Take a moment to consider how your feel. Do you have good energy or do you feel fatigued, tired, depressed or stressed out. Good energy is usually a sign of balance and wellness. If you don't usually feel good then you may want to consider a change. Maybe you simply need to make some changes to your diet or start taking some Vitamin D. Maybe you should go to the doctor. If you rarely get exercise then maybe just starting to move more will make you feel better. Or is there a person or activity that is very draining for you? What changes can you make to improve that situation?

What I am working on:

I can't really get into it but I am making a big change in how I spend my working hours and have come up with a new strategy that I think will produce better results. I'll leave it at that.

Have a fantastic week and live well!

Week 16 - Movement

Hello. I find it funny that I had selected movement for this week (back in June) and in fact this is the week after a lot of movement for myself and my family. My husband and I just completed our cross country drive from Portland OR to Sarasota FL with our two chihuahuas and two cats. The trip was a lot of fun and they all enjoyed staying in hotels :)

The reason I selected movement as a challenge is because of it's importance in a variety of ways. You need movement to stay alive; both physical movement and for progression through life. Without movement you would not last very long; it helps you to satisfy basic needs like finding food and shelter, and much more.

Lets talk about physical movement first. When you do not move enough you may notice you get stiff. This is the first sign inertia is setting in. Movement is life. Even when you are physically still in meditation there is a growth opportunity and therefore that is progression (or movement); not inertia. Things with no movement stagnate and die; including your dreams. This leads me to our challenge.

The Challenge:

1) Think about areas of your life where you have stagnated and why.

2) Write down 3 things you can do to bring about positive change in these areas.

3) Commit to a start date and stick with it. The hardest part of inertia is it takes more effort at first to get going. It will get easier.

What I'm working on:

While we drove far and moved into our new home I have not had an opportunity to exercise as much as I would have liked but now the problem is I don't feel like exercising. I'm physically tired and also have other things I feel like I need to do with my time. While I have lots of great positive movement in my life my focus needs to be physical exercise this week. I will start gently. My 3 changes will be long walks outside, short runs on my treadmill and going to a 90 minute yoga class on Wednesday.

Okay that is it! Have fun and enjoy your week.